Subir Bhaumik’s latest book ‘Agartala Doctrine’ launched in Agartala

Former BBC India Correspondent and international journalist Subir Bhaumik’s latest book, “Agartala Doctrine” makes a strong case for institutionalising the Agartala way of dealing with hostile neighbours.

On Thursday the book, published by Oxford University Press had its Agartala launch. The book is scheduled for launch in six more Indian cities— Kolkata, Delhi, Shillong, Guwahati, Mumbai and Bangalore. It is scheduled for an international launch in Dhaka in a couple of months. Subir Bhaumik is also a Senior Editor at bdnews24.com.

The book manifests Bhaumik’s belief that arming regional fringes with more autonomy to deal with neighbours is the right way forward in dealing with the complex geo-political intricacies that India deals with on the Indo-China, Indo-Pak, Indo-Bangla and other neighbouring fronts.

Taking a leaf out of the way in which Agartala has been dealing with Bangladesh, Bhaumik credits successive governments of Tripura who were pragmatic enough to realise that a mutually beneficial and appropriately reciprocal relation between India’s neighbours and those states of India that are closest to these nations is in the best interest of both such states as well as the nation as a whole.

Bhaumik spools back and forth in time to prove that the state governments of Tripura have played a major role in scripting India’s foreign policy towards what once used to be the eastern chunk of Pakistan, then making a strong case “to kick Pakistan out of the East”, and finally carving out the new nation of Bangladesh.

Much of the warmth in relations that India today enjoys with Bangladesh today is much to the credit of a friendly Sheikh Hasina government in  power as it is to the continued efforts of successive Tripura governments who have unwaveringly toed the line of the Agartala Doctrine, a policy framework that Bhaumik advocates strongly to be institutionalised and applied to the whole spectrum of India’s foreign policy.

So what really is the Agartala Doctrine? Bhaumik explains in his trademark straightforward way that this is a foreign policy paradigm “that is shorn of intellectual mumbo-jumbo.

“Pay them back in their own coin”, says Bhaumik, adding that this is exactly what the Manik Sarkar government has been doing.

Bhaumik says that the Manik Sarkar government has extended its hand of cooperation, even covertly when needed, to the interests of the Bangladesh government, simultaneously clearing the road for similar favours from Bangladesh.

Though the Sarkar government has never gone on a chest thumping spree like the one witnessed in Delhi following the Myanmar operation last year, and has continuously denied such actions, the senior journalist credits Sarkar for toeing a more mature and result-yielding route by following the policy of mutual give-and-take leading to some milestone development like the Palatana power project which have benefited not only Tripura but also helped Bangladesh keep its development wheel chugging by getting to enjoy a portion of the fruits of such projects. But such share in the happiness pie isn’t doled out free. When stuck up with logistical requirements like shipment of heavy equipment, Bangladesh allowed its territory to be used so that the project saw the light of the day in a cost effective and convenient way.

Bhaumik wonders why incidents like Pathankot and Mumbai (26/11) needn’t be paid back in similar terms in a covert way to deliver the message straight across the border that we are ready to reciprocate cordiality with cordiality but are ready to pay back wanton acts of terror in equally similar terms albeit in a covert way by quickly using regional resources close to the border.

The book is a compendium of contributions on foreign policy and regional cooperation from eminent writers like author, MP and Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Dr Shashi Tharoor, JT Jacob, Patricia Ulberoi, Farooq Sobhan and others. These essays add up to support Bhaumik’s case that allowing a certain degree of regional autonomy in foreign relations with neighbours can boost peace and stability in the region. The idea is that if neighbours realise the advantages of gelling together with those parts of India that are in its closest proximity, peace and stability and mutual development would follow quickly.

Bhaumik claims that while the Government of India is committed to the Look East policy, the commitment can reach its meaningful levels only when the policy realises and recognises some of the best things that this region also has to offer. The Agartala Doctrine for one, is a takeaway lesson for India’s foreign policy framework.

Apart from his writing engagements, Subir Bhaumik currently serves as senior editor with bdnews24.com, a leading Bangladesh news portal and is also all set to head to Myanmar where he advises the Mizzima news group.