Explicating the Nexus between Terrorism and Narco-Terrorism in South-East Asia:

A Case of India and Myanmar

Abstract

South East Asia’s importance for India lies in its geo-strategic location which forces India to expand its strategic relations with these countries. For India’s interest, it becomes a key player because of its two major worries viz. China’s expanding influence over South East Asia and beyond and the threat of a growing belt of drug trafficking and its sponsoring of military activities and cross-border terrorism. The threat of instability caused by these twin forces-drug trafficking and cross-border terrorism, has impeded the growth of democratic institutions and civil society in the region that has larger implications for a democratic country like India with regard to its larger foreign policy. Furthermore, the clandestine activities and business of drug and opium trade in the South East Asia particularly Myanmar and Thailand have opened the doors of new possibilities for the militant groups. In fact, India’s potential to neutralize security threats in this region defies its regional security calculus. Militant groups in the region of both South Asia and South-East Asia get financial and physical support from drug business. Needless to say that India and South East Asian countries face common threats of terrorism, extremism and separatism, drug trafficking and trafficking in general. The commonality of interest provides greater opportunity to cooperate more closely in addressing the regional security issues of narco-terrorism and terrorism as the increasing violence and instability in Myanmar are likely to have serious security implications for the region whose possible solutions can be drawn through organizations like BIMSTEC. Hence, this paper underlines the prime importance of a collective approach with regard to security issues as well as in countering transnational crimes for both India and Myanmar in particular and the South East Asian region in general.