India intends to allocate approximately $3.7 billion to secure its 1,610 km border with Myanmar over the next decade. This decision aims to curb smuggling and illegal activities. Earlier this year, New Delhi announced plans to fence the border and revoke a long-standing visa-free movement policy with Myanmar, citing national security concerns and the need to preserve the demographic balance in its northeastern region. A government committee recently sanctioned the funding for the fencing, pending approval from PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
Interpol has revealed that organised crime syndicates, which proliferated human trafficking and cyber scam operations during the pandemic, have expanded globally from what initially emerged as a regional issue in Southeast Asia. These networks generate up to $3 trillion annually. Driven by online anonymity and new business models, these groups operate on an unprecedented scale, fueled further by the COVID-19 pandemic, Interpol Secretary-General Jurgen Stock said.
The 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place on 27 March in Beijing. India’s delegation, led by the Joint Secretary (East Asia), met with their Chinese counterparts led by the Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department. They discussed disengagement and resolving issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector. Both sides agreed to maintain regular diplomatic and military communication and uphold peace in border areas as per existing agreements.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was on an official visit to Malaysia from 27 to 28 March. During the visit, he met Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, and Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. He also held a roundtable meeting with various CEOs and industry leaders and interacted with members of the Indian diaspora.
Less than a week after Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan, India has released the second tranche of Rs 500 crore ($60 million) to the country for infrastructure development related to the GyalSung Project. Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, handed over the tranche to Bhutan’s Foreign Minister, Lyonpo D.N. Dhungyel. Under an MoU signed in January this year, India has agreed to disburse Rs 1,500 crore ($180 million) to Bhutan for the project. Of this, the first tranche of $60 million was released in January itself.
On Wednesday, Sri Lankan PM Dinesh Gunawardena said that China will assist Sri Lanka in developing its strategic deep sea port at Hambantota and the Colombo International Airport. Following a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Gunawardena announced that Beijing would also help Colombo restructure its external debt and rebuild its economy.