Pitfalls of looking East

A lot of what Dr. Ahmed has written against India is correct. However, the recommendations he has made based on his perceptions of the Indian attitude came more from his heart and perhaps cannot and would not stand critical analysis.

We may be frustrated by the Indian attitude like Dr. Ahmed. But his recommendation to leave SAARC and join ASEAN does not suggest his understanding of the dynamics of international politics. He wrote of many ASEAN countries valuing their relations with us and ready "to court our friendship." This is an over-simplified statement and in no way should lead to his next conclusion that we could leave SAARC and join ASEAN at our beckoning. Perhaps Dr. Ahmed is not aware, ASEAN is just not looking for a South Asian country into its folds and that should they seek a new member in our sub-region, they would look beyond us towards India. A poor, impoverished South Asian country like Bangladesh is hardly a desirable candidate for membership in one of the most successful regional groups in the world. The suggestion speaks of heart but belies reality.

Coming to India, accepting Dr. Ahmed's views and following his recommendations is also laden with danger. Sri Lanka, in the early 1980s, emboldened by its growing economic stature, tried to leave South Asia for ASEAN and incurred Indian wrath. Rest is history. For better or for worse, our location is South Asia where India happens to be the dominant power. We have just got to learn to live with India. How well we adjust is the test of our diplomatic skills, something that the foreign minister singularly failed to demonstrate with his most recent outbursts. Even if ASEAN would like to let us join it, which is not the case, we would not be able to do so, should the Indians object to it. That is a reality that Dr. Ahmed's piece has totally failed to address in his article, for our bane as a nation is our lack of economic and political strength.