CHIEF ADVISER'S 'LANDLOCKED' REMARK: Why is India losing sleep over a well-accepted fact?

Chief Advisor Yunus’ factual claim to China that India’s Northeastern states are landlocked received widespread criticism from India. Photo: GOB

On 3 September 2020, The Economic Times of India published a report titled 'India, Bangladesh Launch New Initiative to Connect Landlocked North East'. It highlighted how the Bangladeshi vessel MB Premier transported cement to Tripura, covering 93 km along the Gumti River. The report described this as a significant milestone in India-Bangladesh cooperation.

Landlocked refers to countries or regions surrounded by land with no direct access to the sea.

So, the Economic Times report was correct in describing the North Eastern part of India as landlocked. 

However, today India has chosen to overreact to Dr Muhammad Yunus' comments about the Indian northeastern states as being 'landlocked' and the importance of Bangladesh as the "guardian to the ocean". 

"Seven [eastern] states of India… are landlocked regions of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean," Yunus said. "We are the only guardians of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world," he said.

Almost anything Dr Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh's interim government, says or does seems to provoke India. His comment about the northeastern states being landlocked was no exception, drawing widespread criticism.

For instance, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed Yunus' remarks as "offensive" and "strongly condemnable". Referring to Bangladesh's "so-called interim government," Sarma said, "Such provocative statements by Md Younis [sic] must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas."

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Tripura see Yunus' comment as "an indirect threat". 

Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, founder of TIPRA Motha and a partner in the ruling alliance, said, "This is an indirect threat to the Seven Sisters of the northeast… I want to tell the Government of India that until we change our position and have an alternative strategy, this man, this country will keep threatening us."

This is not something provocative or controversial… In fact, China's Yunnan province is also landlocked, so making this comment to the Chinese is merely pointing out the reality that the northeastern states do not have access to the sea… Indian northeastern states, their leaders, and current governments have previously acknowledged that to reach the sea, they need a friendly relationship with Bangladesh. Dr Yunus is simply stating something that the leaders of India's northeastern states fully understand."

Professor Ali Ashraf, Chairman, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka

The Times of India also published a comment from defence expert Captain Anil Gaur, who linked Yunus' remarks to Bangladesh's economic situation. He claimed, "Bangladesh's economy has collapsed," suggesting that this was why Yunus praised China and sought its support.

While India now takes serious offence at the mention of its northeastern states being landlocked and Bangladesh its way to the ocean, it was not always so. Just a few years ago, India openly acknowledged this geographic reality and praised transit routes through Bangladesh for improving connectivity. This shift in attitude seems to reflect India's difficulty in accepting the political changes in Dhaka after Sheikh Hasina's departure, as she was seen as loyal to Delhi.

In March 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Maitri Setu, a 1.9 km bridge connecting Sabroom in India to Ramgarh in Bangladesh over the Feni River. 

At the time, Modi stated, "The bridge will improve connectivity of South Assam, Mizoram, and Manipur, along with Tripura, with Bangladesh and Southeast Asia." The Indian Prime Minister's Office also declared that Tripura was set to become the 'Gateway of the Northeast' with access to Bangladesh's Chattogram Port.

There was no shame in accepting the simple geographical fact that the northeast is landlocked and its access to the sea through Bangladesh. However, to a biased perspective, even the clearest path may seem distorted. If India were able to adjust to the new political realities in Bangladesh, Yunus' statement of a geographical fact might not have sounded so harsh. 

"This is not something provocative or controversial. It is simply a statement reflecting the new political reality that the northeastern states are literally landlocked. In fact, China's Yunnan province is also landlocked, so making this comment to the Chinese is merely pointing out the reality that the northeastern states do not have access to the sea. Any territory without sea access is at a geographical disadvantage and needs to maintain good relations with a neighbouring country that has access to the sea," said Professor Ali Ashraf, Chairman of the Department of International Relations at the University of Dhaka.

"Recognising these geopolitical realities, Indian northeastern states, their leaders, and current governments have previously acknowledged that to reach the sea, they need a friendly relationship with Bangladesh. Dr Yunus is simply stating something that the leaders of India's northeastern states fully understand," he added.

For example, during Sheikh Hasina's tenure, an agreement on the Indo-Bangla rail link was signed during her final visit to India before her ousting. This rail link provided an alternative route to the Siliguri Corridor. Indian Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Social Empowerment, Pratima Bhoumik, praised how the project improved connectivity in the northeast, dramatically reducing travel time from Agartala to Kolkata via Bangladesh — from 32 hours to just 10 hours.

The development was seen positively, with hopes it would boost trade, business and investment in the northeastern region.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha proudly spoke about his state's potential as a gateway, not only to Southeast Asian nations but also to many other countries, thanks to the strategic Chattogram Port in Bangladesh. "The future of Tripura is bright. Once the rail connectivity is established, we will be able to reach Kolkata in a short period," he had said at the time.
But when Yunus discusses regional economic possibilities, the Indian leadership is not receptive. In fact, New Delhi has never been comfortable with Yunus' visit to China, despite showing little interest at the time.

"We actually expressed our interest and requested the Indian side as early as December the previous year for a bilateral visit by Chief Adviser Prof Yunus to India," Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told The Hindu newspaper. "This request was made weeks before his visit to China was finalised. Unfortunately, we did not receive a positive response."

New Delhi also failed to confirm Dhaka's request for a meeting between Yunus and Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit. This highlights that, despite Bangladesh's efforts to normalise relations with India, New Delhi is not serious about improving ties and instead seems to be undermining Dhaka's diplomatic success elsewhere.

However, Sheikh Hasina was not only favoured by Delhi but also maintained close ties with Beijing, given that it was effectively a one-party state.

As the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir remarked, "During the previous Awami League government, China maintained unilateral ties with a single party. However, with the change in government, China has adjusted its approach." 

Yet, India is seemingly failing to adjust its perspective.

Professor Ali Ashraf explained that when Dr Yunus referred to Bangladesh as the "guardian of the ocean" for the northeastern states, he was emphasising that Bangladesh has valuable geopolitical leverage. India should take this into consideration. 
Given that China and India are strategic competitors in the region, China could consider investing in Bangladesh, allowing all three countries — Bangladesh, India and China — to mutually benefit.

"From a liberal trade perspective," the professor continued, "Yunus highlighted the importance of market access, economic prosperity, trade, connectivity, and regionalism. This is in line with the spirit of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar [BCIM] Project. The whole purpose is to promote trade and connectivity that benefits all countries, particularly the landlocked northeastern states and China's Yunnan province."