Managing Partner
The New Game in Asia
Sheikh Rahman
Senior Advisor November 5, 2012
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In determining the course of Bangladesh’s foreign relations – the words of a famous Prussian /German statesman of the nineteenth century and renowned figure in world affairs Otto von Bismark may be appropriate - “if you have five neighbors, you need to be on good terms with at least three”. China and India are the two powerful nations in the region that are experiencing economic expansion of unforeseen magnitude. Both China and India are easing the tensions with their neighbors by putting to rest ‘old antagonisms’ for ensuring success in the pursuit of their policy for economic expansion.
India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka are all in the same vicinity. China lies in close geographical proximity to the territory of Bangladesh, separated only by a narrow Siliguri Corridor of India. United States defies geo-politics of the region by the extent of the global reach of the armed forces and presence of its naval fleet in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. India, China, and the United States are the three most significant players in the region desiring to expand their power and influence by enhanced partnership with the deltaic nation on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Contiguity of the territorial boundaries between Bangladesh, India and Myanmar inland, as well as, in the offshore areas of the Bay are the unchangeable realities and constraints of the geo-politics of the region, as well as, compelling factors in shaping the policy for strategic expansion of the regional power (India), the rising Asian power (China), and the global superpower (the USA). Bangladesh relations with these expansionist powers are crucial in determining the destiny of the country and may have a strong influence in defining a role in regional, as well as, international affairs.
This paper will present a review and inferences drawn from
Sheikh Rahman
Senior Advisor November 5, 2012
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In determining the course of Bangladesh’s foreign relations – the words of a famous Prussian /German statesman of the nineteenth century and renowned figure in world affairs Otto von Bismark may be appropriate - “if you have five neighbors, you need to be on good terms with at least three”. China and India are the two powerful nations in the region that are experiencing economic expansion of unforeseen magnitude. Both China and India are easing the tensions with their neighbors by putting to rest ‘old antagonisms’ for ensuring success in the pursuit of their policy for economic expansion.
India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka are all in the same vicinity. China lies in close geographical proximity to the territory of Bangladesh, separated only by a narrow Siliguri Corridor of India. United States defies geo-politics of the region by the extent of the global reach of the armed forces and presence of its naval fleet in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. India, China, and the United States are the three most significant players in the region desiring to expand their power and influence by enhanced partnership with the deltaic nation on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Contiguity of the territorial boundaries between Bangladesh, India and Myanmar inland, as well as, in the offshore areas of the Bay are the unchangeable realities and constraints of the geo-politics of the region, as well as, compelling factors in shaping the policy for strategic expansion of the regional power (India), the rising Asian power (China), and the global superpower (the USA). Bangladesh relations with these expansionist powers are crucial in determining the destiny of the country and may have a strong influence in defining a role in regional, as well as, international affairs.
This paper will present a review and inferences drawn from