Why PM's Neighbourhood Engagements Are So Critical

The devastating earthquake that hit Myanmar is a stark reminder of what is at stake when the leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) meet in Thailand for their sixth Summit in 20 years.

- Pankaj Saran

When disasters strike, nations rally together. The launch of "Operation Brahma" by India has been remarkable for its speed and execution. India has been getting better and better at coming to the aid of its neighbours.

Myanmar is also in the thick of a civil war with significant transboundary effects. Its neighbours are dealing with a dramatic increase in transnational crime arising in part from loss of control over the border regions. Bangladesh, already facing the brunt of the strife in the Rakhine in the form of more than a million Rohingya refugees, and takeover of its border with Myanmar by the Arakan Army, is in the midst of a political and economic upheaval since August last year. India, Thailand and China are all affected in their own ways. Not so far away, Nepal is faced with a crisis of confidence in the established political parties and efficacy of its constitutional democracy. While Sri Lanka is on the road to recovery, it is far from being out of the woods.