0 | P a g e Contents Sl Particulars Page No 1 India’s Act East Policy 2 2 Act East Policy and North Eastern Region 3-4 3 Act East Policy and Tripura 5-23 4 Airport 9-13 4.1 Modernization of Agartala Airport 9-12 4.2 Declaring Agartala Airport as an International Airport 13 4.3 Operationalization of Kailasahar Airport 13 5 Waterways 13-14 5.1 Connectivity with Bangladesh- status of Development of Inland 13-14 Water Transport on Gomti river 6 Road & Bridges 14-16 6.1 Project under North Eastern Road Sector Development Scheme 14-15 6.2 Construction of Bridge over river Feni 15-16 7 Information Technology 16-17 7.1 Marine Cable 16-17 8 Improvement of facilities in Land Custom Stations, Border Haat, 17-22 Trade & Industrialization 8.1.1 Shifting of IBB Fencing in Manughat Land Custom Station 17-18 8.2 Removal of restriction through the Land Custom Stations in 18-19 Tripura 8.3 Creation of Infrastructure in the counterpart Land Custom 20 Stations of Bangladesh 8.4 Land for Border Haats in Tripura 20 8.5 Investment from Bangladesh to Tripura for setting up of 20 Industries 8.6 Strategy for Industrialization 20-21 1 | P a g e ACT EAST POLICY OF INDIA - NORTH EAST REGION AND TRIPURA 1. India’s Act East Policy India's Act East Policy focuses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region. The policy which was originally conceived as an economic initiative, has gained political, strategic and cultural dimensions including establishment of institutional mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation. India has upgraded its relations to strategic partnership with Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and forged close ties with all countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Further, apart from ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and East Asia Summit (EAS), India has also been actively engaged in regional fora such as Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Act East Policy has placed emphasis on India- ASEAN cooperation in India’s domestic agenda on infrastructure, manufacturing, trade, skills, urban renewal, smart cities, Make in India and other initiatives. Connectivity projects, cooperation in space, S&T and people-to-people exchanges could become a springboard for regional integration and prosperity. 1.1 Objective of India’s Act East Policy. The Objective of ''Act East Policy” is to promote economic cooperation, cultural ties and develop strategic relationship with countries in the Asia-Pacific region through continuous engagement at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels thereby providing enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region including Arunanchal Pradesh with other countries in our neighbourhood. The North East of India has been a priority in India’s Act East Policy (AEP). AEP provides an interface between North East India including the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the ASEAN region. Various plans at bilateral and regional levels include steady efforts to develop and strengthen connectivity of Northeast with the ASEAN region through trade, culture, people-to- people contacts and physical infrastructure (road, airport, telecommunication, power, etc.). Some of the major projects include Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project, Rhi-Tiddim Road Project, Border Haats, etc. 2 | P a g e 2. Act East Policy & North Eastern Region The prosperity cannot be realised without providing the NE Region with world-class infrastructure and building a network of connectivity. Improving connectivity is the most important measure for the resurgence of the NER. Good transportation networks are necessary to inter-link potential growth centres, promote tourism, connect to border trade points and support economic, social and security needs. Creation of a common market is necessary for the region to develop as an entity and realise the goals of peace and prosperity. The biggest constraint in the NER has been the poor state of infrastructure, in particular, roads, railways, waterways and power. From the geo- political angle, the NER is located in a strategic location as it is bounded by these several foreign countries. Naturally it has got both advantages and disadvantages due to its location. So far advantages are concerned it is connected with the South-East Asian countries mainly China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia etc where almost half of the world‘s population live. There is no doubt that this vast population could have great advantage for establishing any kind of trade and commerce. But the very geographical condition basically the rivers and mountains of the country stand as a barrier in creating a conducive atmosphere in the path of developing trade relation among those countries. The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and Kunming Initiative have been undertaken by India and China respectively to reach out to ASEAN. The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation was launched by India on November 10, 2000, at Vientiane, Laos, to boost cooperation in tourism, culture and education. The signatories were India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. These countries agreed to undertake joint transportation projects, including the trans-Asian highway. This initiative is India’s most significant venture in the region. The best part about the Mekong initiative is that it has the potential for direct flights between Guwahati-Ho Chi Minh City-Imphal-Hanoi. The Asian Highway (AH 48), which would be connecting Phuentsholing in Bhutan to Indo-Bangladesh border point at Changrabandha in Cooch Behar, West Bengal via Dooars, which is being built in full swing should act as a major boost to further cooperation with Bangladesh. 3 | P a g e 2.1. Border Trade in North East Region The North East Region (NER) of India, despite being endowed with immense resource potential, is considered to be an economically backward region of the country. The lack of proper accessibility and the absence of infrastructure and connectivity facilities have impeded many of the developmental prospects of the region. The crucial geostrategic location of the NER along with its rich natural reserves accords the region with the possibility of being India‘s powerhouse of trade and investment as well as a substantive gateway to robust engagements with the neighboring countries. The trade at India‘s border needs to be enhanced to take advantage of the NER‘s strategic location. The NER border is critical for business and commercial transactions between North East India and its. The importance of border is profound for the NER as it yields tangible benefits to the region thereby facilitating sustainable economic development. Determinants like geographic proximities, socio-cultural and ethnic affinities, economic complementarities, political commitments, policy coordination, infrastructure development and mutual interdependence extensively bolster the promotion of trade at borders. A proposal to build the Asian Highway and Asian Railway Link and natural gas pipeline were brought forth. The proposed geographical niche for the Asian Highway is the Imphal (India)- Tamu (Myanmar) road going on to the Kalemyo railway and then to Mandalay in Myanmar. A four-lane Asian Highway is sought between New Delhi Singapore with a link to Kualalumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Pen, Bangkok, Vientiane, Yangon, Mandalay, Kalemyo, Tamu, Dhaka, and Kolkata. Road construction has already started from Tamu to Kalemyo, Myanmar. Portions of the 1,360-km trilateral highway from Moreh (India) to Mae Sot (Thailand) through Bagan (Myanmar) has already become functional and is on its way to completion. A number of recent developments in the North East region of India are notable. The level of education has certainly risen in the region, as has the demand for professionals from this part of the country. Some of these growth patterns are a result of the establishment of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region in 2001. The Ministry is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring security. There is a need to “rebrand” the North Eastern part of India. Nagaland and Myanmar have hosted many cultural events that are evidence of greater integration and prominence to the region. Shillong is being promoted as the “Education Capital” of the North East. Similarly, Sikkim is being hailed as India’s “brand ambassador” in terms of zero plastic consumption, organic produce, and eco-friendly industries. A number of laboratories have also been set up to study the innovative methods of entrepreneurial activity in this area. Google has also set up some enterprises in the region. 4 | P a g e 3. Act East Policy & Tripura The policy focus of the “Act East” should begin with North Eastern India itself. To this end, it is necessary to create physical infrastructure. The most important and immediate initiative required is the significant upgradation of infrastructure along the borders to facilitate trade and ensure the faster movement of goods to and from neighbouring countries. In fact, facilities such as approach roads, telecommunications, electricity, weighbridges, customs/immigration posts and bonded warehouses should be taken up on a priority basis. The state of Tripura is located at the extreme end of NE Region mostly bounded by Bangladesh (856KM) leaving to a chicken neck access to the main land through Assam and Bengal. The state has very difficult topography and full of hillocks, rivers and rivulets. Due to its topography, intra state connectivity was practically absent before merger with India and the movements were restricted through Roadway, railway and waterway at Bangladesh (earlier East Pakistan). As such all towns, growth centres grew up along the State’s border with Bangladesh. There are significant gains to be had for both countries from a common market.