BHUBANESWAR: Former diplomat and author G Parthasarathy today called for a greater regional integration and stronger economic cooperation with SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations.
Even as the vast east coast of India is facing the fastest growing economies in the world, the maritime trading activities of this part of the country with the Southeast Asian Nations is very negligible.
Recalling the rich maritime heritage of the ancient Kalinga, Parthasarthy said the people of Odisha should ponder what went wrong with that tradition after nearly 70 years of independence. He was speaking at the 16th Harischandra Baxipatra memorial lecture here.
"I don't see any other states as rich with a maritime history as Odisha. We must ask ourselves where we stand now and why," the former Ambassador to Myanmar said.
Asserting that the East Coast has the potential to be a trade hub of oil, gas and petroleum products, Parthasarthy said the government should focus on improving and expanding connectivity with SAARC nations and increased economic partnership with Sotheast Asian countries including Myanmar and Thailand.
He said that the total value of India's trade with all the other SAARC members, put together, is less than a third of its total trade with just China.
There is shift in the foreign policy in the last two and a half years. The government in Delhi seems to have realised this anomaly. A meaningful cooperation can materialise only when there is mutual
trust and willingness among member countries to resolve and overcome bilateral differences and apprehensions for the greater good of their own people, he added.
The former High Commission to Pakistan, however, expressed his reservation on isolating Pakistan from the SAARC nations.
Parthasarathy said that the reach challenge before India is China no Pakistan. China is seeking to be the number one in the world order and using Pakistan against India by supplying nuclear weapons.
To address this security threat, India must improve its religious and cultural ties with the vast majority of Chinese people who follow Buddhism, he said.
Governor S C Jamir, senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik, senior journalist Rabi Das also spoke. Secretary of Harischandra Baxipatra Memorial Trust Lopamudra Baxipatra introduced the guests.