India's North East Region
16th April 2008
Author: Nishchal N. Pandey
Price: Rs. 225
Publisher: Manohar Publishers, New Delhi and Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore.
The seven north-eastern states of India during the last 6 decades of isolation have braved enormous difficulties.
Beginning with the impact of partition, liberation of Bangladesh, influx of people from outside and continuing conflicts based on caste, tribe, language, race and religion, there is also a flip-side to the bad governance and economic woes of the people of this region.
Their geographical and cultural proximity with the South-East Asian countries make the area to be of enormous economic importance in the future.
This book argues how the region's trade with various neighbouring countries if facilitated and encouraged, and if efforts are made fo greater convenience in international trade through the simplification of economic activities such as movement of goods, people and services across borders, the region can blossom to its full potential. But for this, the Centre has first to realize the urgent need to 'open-up' than to 'lock-up' the area in order to provide 'security' to the people.
One of the first studies of its kind, this volume highlights in detail the north-east's central position vis-a-vis Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the rest of South-East Asia.
