Most neighbours of large countries tend to be influenced by a ‘small neighbours’ syndrome. The US-Canada spats are legendary. The factor of asymmetry of capabilities certainly plays a major factor. But the problem in our region is complicated immensely by domestic politics, especially in the smaller countries. This has often led to Indo-Bangladesh ties going through uncertain phases, linked mostly to changes in regime in Dhaka. The present phase seems to be just another such development.For instance, the migration problem from Bangladesh is nearly five-decades old and has naturally concerned India, where some 15 million Bangladeshis have migrated illegally. Bangladesh must look for a viable solution to this human problem and not simply use it as a tool in settling domestic political scores. The most obvious answer to this is to work seriously and urgently for the human, especially economic, development of its own people. With India growing at a much faster rate, Dhaka’s unwillingness to move forward on this path would only accumulate such problems. For example, Dhaka’s attitude on the issue of supply of natural gas, of which large reserves have been found, is an obvious case. It should be utilising this resource to help its people, rather than allow economic conditions to fester to such a point that large numbers are forced to look for livelihoods outside their country.As regards the recent spat, there seems to be little evidence of Dhaka’s charge of India pushing its own people across the border. A meeting of the Joint Working Group on the border was held only recently, and Dhaka should have raised it at this forum if it had any such concern or evidence. Diplomacy of confrontation has very high diminishing returns, especially when this is undertaken at the cost of one’s own interests. Again, take the example of natural gas supplies. Dhaka’s cussedness to move forward merely to appease domestic extremism is reducing its own leverage after the discovery of large reserves of natural gas on India’s eastern seaboard, and arrangements being worked out with Myanmar. Despite these irritants, India must be willing to make the maximum concessions to its eastern neighbour, although this would also require Bangladesh to rediscover the spirit of cooperation.
