India and CLMV: Building partnership through connectivity and development cooperation

This paper examines India’s engagement with the CLMV countries—Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam—through a dual focus on connectivity and developmental cooperation. In the post-cold war period, India’s engagement with the CLMV subregion was shaped through its Look East Policy that sought to increase its influence in the subregion while promoting its economic and strategic interests. Later, India’s Act East Policy sought to enhance its focus towards the subregion through active diplomatic measures in the backdrop of changing regional dynamics. This saw greater focus on connectivity projects and building developmental cooperation in order to incentivise economic integration and enhance India’s influence within these countries. The article examines various facets of connectivity initiatives, notably the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, key components of India’s diplomatic outreach to these countries and the Southeast Asian region at large. These large-scale infrastructure projects are complemented by innovative developmental cooperation mechanisms, including Quick Impact Projects and concessional financing, which reflect India’s commitment to a South-South Development Partnership model that underpins mutual benefit while providing developmental opportunities to the host countries. While the study highlights the significant potential of these initiatives in enhancing international trade, reducing logistical barriers, and fostering economic integration, it also critically examines impediments such as bureaucratic delays, political instability, and infrastructural gaps that hinder project implementation. By synthesising both the achievements and challenges, the paper underscores the need for a coordinated policy framework, enhanced collaboration, and economic corridors to ensure sustainable connectivity. Ultimately, the findings advocate that, by restructuring the processes related to project finalisation, financing and execution, coupled with proactive diplomatic engagement, India could enhance the scope and effectiveness of its different initiatives and projects, thereby, augmenting its relations with CLMV countries.