1The Mekong-Ganga Swarnabhoomi programme is a cooperation initiative by India and five riparian counties of the Mekong River, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.32 The MGCI was formally launched on 10^th November 2000 in the Laotian capital of Vientiane. This was the result of India’s multifaceted interactions and engagement with GMS and it seeks to focus on building cooperation in sectors of tourism, culture, educational contacts and transport and communications between India and these five GMS countries. The decision to launch this initiative was taken by these six foreign ministers at their meting held on the margins of the 33^rd ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference in July 2000 in Bangkok.33

2The project particularly seeks to stress on the ‘ natural connectivity’of India based on cultural and civilizational similarities.34 In operational terms, therefore, the project is an attempt to enhance cooperation in the fields of transport and infrastructure sector, including roads and railways as well as greater cooperation in science/technology and human resource management. As its backdrop, these five riparian countries of Mekong had already been working together amongst themselves on these issue areas. They had already conceived of similar ideas and launched a similar programme called “Suwanna Phum” – the older Indochina expression for Swarnabhoomi. This was aimed at promoting cultural tourism by joining hands and pooling resources to re-enforce advantages of physical proximity, common heritage and Buddhist links. Also, much of this formulation as also engagement with India had been the result of efforts of Thai leaders.

3Even for India’s MGCI, it was Thai foreign minister, Dr. S. Pitsuwan, who had appraised Indian leaders about this programme and asked India to endorse this idea at the coming Post-Ministerial Conference of July 2000 when the decision of India’s inclusion was taken in Bangkok. Even the name of Mekong-Ganga Swarnabhoomi was reportedly suggested by Thailand and accepted by India.35 More recent years though have seen Vietnam also emerging as another major partner of India and their ties have been bourgeoning rapidly, especially as Thailand has been held back by its internal political upheavals since the September 2006 military coup. But Indo-Thai relations still remain strong and after Prime Minister Thaksin’s visit in November 2001, the prime minister of Thailand, General Surayud was again in India during 25-28^th June 2007. This expanding bilateral bonhomie has greatly enhanced India’s participation in MGCI-like multilateral forums in the region.

1- Vientiane Declaration

4To focus precisely on the MGCI genesis and evolution, this initiative was launched during the inaugural formal MGCI Ministerial Meeting that was held in Vientiane (Lao PDR) on 10^th November 2000. This MGCI Ministerial Meeting concluded with ‘the Vientiane Declaration.’ Underlining their common heritage and desire to enhance friendship the Declaration outlined MGCI objectives in four specific sectors of (a) Tourism, (b) Culture, (c) Education and (d) Transport and Communications. In specific, it talked of launching the Mekong-Ganga Tourism Investment Guide, promoting famous cultural, religious and eco-tourism sites, preserving old manuscripts, heritage sites and artifacts, providing scholarships and translating classics and developing road, rail and air links all, (a) in tandem with other multilateral initiatives like Trans-Asian Highways and (b) aimed at strengthening the inter-and intra-regional linkages amongst people.

5The Vientiane Declaration, adopted at their first formal Ministerial Meeting in Laos PDR in November 2000, had committed the member countries to develop transport networks – in particular the ‘ East-West Corridor’and the ‘trans-Asian Highway’– under the listed sectors of transport and communications. It also committed the member states to strengthening of their cooperation in the development of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure in which India has strong credentials to contribute to the IT development in the GMS. For India, this policy initiative outline was in time with India’s policy objectives of reviving India’s historic linkages and engagement with this largest river basin of Asia and to strengthen link between these two river basin civilizations especially for purposes of knitting their people together through education and transport and communication as locomotives for building mutual goodwill as the basis for seeking common development rather than the other way round.

6What was particularly unique about the Vientiane Declaration was its emphasis on promoting joint research in the other fields like dance, music and theatrical forms and organize round-tables for journalists, writers and experts in literature, performing arts, women's empowerment, health and nutrition and the conservation, preservation and protection of heritage sites and artifacts. Tourism is another field where the Declaration expected the MGCI to conduct preliminary strategic studies for joint marketing, launch the Mekong-Ganga Tourism Investment Guide, facilitate the travel of people in the region, expand multi-modal communication and transportation links to enhance travel and tourism and promote cultural-religious package tours. The MGCI consented to encourage the establishment of networking and twinning arrangements among universities in the region, translate classics of MGC countries into other MGCI languages and assured the participation in book fairs in member countries on a commercial basis.

7Indeed, the Concept Paper prepared by their Senior Officials in their meeting during 8-9^th November 2000, was approved by the six ministers, said the cooperation arrangement, primarily aimed at increasing tourism, will also serve as “building blocks'” for other areas of mutual benefit. The MGCI’s objective was to announce to the international community its “political willingness and aspirations aimed at strengthening our traditional bonds of friendship.”36 The concept paper made it clear that Ministerial Meetings would be led by Foreign Ministers and would take place back-to-back with the Asean Ministerial meeting (AMM)/Post Ministerial conference (PMC) held annually in July of each year. As part of these initiatives the Experts Working Group meetings on tourism, transport & communication, human resource development, and culture were convened as follows: tourism in Bangkok on 29^th May 2001, transport & communication in Vientiane on 7-8^th June 2001, human resource development in New Delhi in 11-12^th June 2001, culture in Phnom Penh on 29^th June 2001. All of these evolved their ‘Programme of Acton’ to be presented the next MGCI Ministerial Meeting that was held in Ha Noi on 28^th July 2001.

2- Ha Noi Programme of Action

8The Second MGC Ministerial Meeting of the MGC countries was held in Ha Noi and it drew and adopted the “Ha Noi Programme of Action” affirming their commitment to cooperate in four sectors that had been earmarked by the Vientiane Declaration as priority areas for cooperation. The “Ha Noi Programme of Action” was the most extensive report (24 pages including four annexes) and to have 6 years of timeframe from July 2001 to July 2007 and the progress of its implementation was to be reviewed every two years.37 Amongst others, it highlighted the need for coordination and transparency and it underlined need for using IT technologies and know-how for education and training and also for making websites to share information and for efficient and effective planning. It also emphasized the need for developing projects involving more than one MGCI member countries but not necessarily all of them.

9Despite these ambitious and comprehensive deliberations, six weeks from there, terrorist struck the United States on 11^th September 2001. This changed national priorities for several countries and the next MGCI Ministerial Meeting was not to be held within the next 24 months i. e. till June 2003. Meanwhile for India, 9/11 had resulted in the United States launching war in Afghanistan (2001) and in Iraq (2003) and India also suffered a terrorist attack on its Parliament on 13^th December 2001. This was to result in India responding with Operation Parakaram that witnessed mobilization and forward deployment of 500,000 Indian troops for over eight months on India-Pakistan borders. However, the GMS countries managed to have their First Summit on 3^rd November 2002 in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and amongst its other deliberations it managed to endorse the Strategic Framework which grouped together 11 flagship priority projects.38 These directions were on same lines as MGCI priorities and therefore were to strengthen the atmospherics for Indian’s engagement with these countries. Nevertheless, this brief interlude did experience a slowdown in MGCI spirit.

3- Phnom Penh Road Map

10The Third Ministerial Meeting of the MGCI countries, chaired by Myanmar, was held in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), on 20^th June 2003. The member-States reviewed the progress of Ha Noi Programme of Action and “noted that the progress was slow and much remain to be done to translate idea to be reality.”39 The Ministers, however, supported the trilateral road linkages among India-Myanmar-Thailand linking Tamu (India) and Thaton (Thailand).* And finally, Ministers agreed to strengthen their institutional network and expressed their agreement to give leading role to chairing country, designate focal points for member states, and fix schedule for meetings. In that spirit, they decided to fix their fourth Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Thailand in 2004 while Bangkok was to host a Senior Officials Meeting before the next Ministerial Meeting.

11The next Ministerial Meeting, at one stage, seemed to have been postponed indefinitely. However, this was also the period that was to see India becoming proactive in expanding network of its cooperation to specific ground-level activities. It was also at the Third Ministerial Meeting that India offered to provide USD100,000 for the MGC Fund, and, in addition, offered to provide USD1 million as grant for the establishment of a museum of traditional textiles in Siem Reap (Cambodia). This was an offer that had been made, in principle, by Indian Prime Minister during the first India-ASEAN Summit on 3^rd November 2002. India also offered additional one-hundred scholarships and to host a meeting of Tourism Ministers in New Delhi in 2004 and all these were appreciated and formally accepted by the MGCI countries.

12In the end, this meeting adopted the “Phnom Penh Road Map for Cooperation” urging member countries to accelerate the pace of MGCI activities and projects.40 Amongst others, the Road Map was to reiterate some of the ongoing suggestions like convening a meeting of Tourism Ministers in New Delhi in 2004, participating as MGCI in the 2004 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) to be held at Vientiane, holding cultural festival of Indian and Cambodian musicians and dancers in Siam Reap. It also urged for initiation of the feasibility study for a rail link from New Delhi to Ha Noi. Of particular importance were two new innovations : (a) heralding a new cooperation in pharmaceutical sector, calling for developing affordable medicine for tropical diseases and harmonization of drug standards, and (b) suggesting innovative strategies for organizing funding for projects through 2 + 1 formula (where two MGCI countries could cooperate with an external donor), encouraging private business participation and by working in conformity with 64 projects of the Initiative of ASEAN Integration Work Plan.

13The Fourth MGCI Ministerial Meeting was delayed by about three and a half years. Meanwhile, there was change of government from Bhartiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance to Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. Apart from a brief interlude it did not upset the schedule of agreed ground level activities planned under the Phnom Penh Road Map for Cooperation. In 2004, India also launched a parallel semi-official sub-program in Ganga-Mekong relationship under the rubric of “South-South Economic Cooperation” which sought to promote cross-fertilization of experience and encourage trade and investments between India and three Indochina countries, namely, Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam. This was somewhat on similar lines as was the ACMECS initiative of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra which had kept both China and Viet Nam out of it in order to ensure Thai leadership in this programme.

14The Launch Meeting of officials and experts in this ‘South-South Economic Cooperation’ format took place in New Delhi on 8^th October 2004 and was hosted by non-governmental agencies like Research and Information Systems for Non-aligned and other Developing Countries (RIS), Consumer Trust and Unity Society (CUTS), and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). Indian side offered to start entrepreneurshiptraining centers in these three countries (Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam), and to enhance transport links especially to support their integration into ASEAN. As part of the Phnom Penh Road Map, India also hosted a two-week Health Care Financing workshop for GMS countries officials and experts held at Hyderabad (India) during 26^th January-6^th February, 2004. Similarly, a two-week programme on E-Governance was also organized for the middle level officials and senior technical staff from the GMS countries at the Administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad during 6-17^th July 2004. This was designed to focus on concepts of good-governance, e-governance, and the role of information, communication and technology (ICT) in development management.41

4- New Delhi Ministerial Meeting

15In the absence of Fourth Ministerial Meeting taking place in 2004 or 2005, the next annual MGC Senior Officials Meeting was held in New Delhi on 25^th May 2005. This was chaired by Thailand and was convened to review the implementation of MGC projects and activities, and prepare for the 4^th MGCI Ministerial Meeting to be held in India in 2006. Meanwhile, China seems to have made major strides in building closer cooperation with these five riparian states of Mekong. The GMS held its Second Summit meeting in Kunming during 4-5^th July 2005 where it renewed its commitment to the Strategic Action Framework for GMS Trade and Investment, the Strategic Action Plan for the GMS Biological Diversity Protection Corridor, signed GMS Agreement on the Facilitation of Transnational Passenger and Cargo Transportation and urged to accelerate implementation of several other agreements and negotiations. The meeting adopted the ‘Kunming Declaration’ and decided that the Third GMS Summit will be help in Laos in 2008.42 Other highlights of this Summit included their dialogue with GMS business leaders, report on East-West Economic Corridor, Cross-Border Transport Agreement and many other agreements.43 AS regards India, following closely to the Second GMS Summit meeting in Kunming, the second two-week GMS programme on E-Governance was hosted during 11-22^nd July 2005 at the Administrative Staff College (ASC) in Hyderabad, India. On 9-10^th November 2005, New Delhi hosted the 120-members strong meeting of the Mekong Development Forum (MDF). This was attended by high-level representatives of GMS Governments and GMS Chambers of Commerce and Industry as also other senior executives of 60-80 large private companies.44 All this was an indicator of continued momentum for cooperation. A week later India hosted a Technology Sumit for ASEAN which included GMS participants.

16The year 2006 was to begin with India hosting in Delhi the Sustainable Development Summit on 2^nd February 2006. Amongst others, this was attended by the Mekong Department’s Director General, Asian Development Bank, Manila.45 In 2006, India had also set up Entrepreneurship Development Centers in Cambodia and Viet Nam, begun providing training to ASEAN diplomats at India’s Foreign Service Institute with first session being organized in August-September 2006. The long-awaited Fourth MGCI Ministerial Meeting was held in New Delhi on 12^th October 2006. Indian foreign minister, Pranab Mukherjee reiterated India’s commitment to strengthen India’s cultural and commercial ties with GMS countries.

17At this 2006 summit, the MGCI Ministers thanked India for its assistance in flagship projects of the IAI and for extending 10 scholarships to each of the MGCI member countries and for its offer to host 100 pilgrims from MGCI countries during 2007. Thailand in Chair proposed India to be elected as Chair of MGCI. The meeting also accepted India’s offer to hold MGCI Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi in 2007.46 This has since been followed by visits to India by Thailand Prime Minister, General (Retd), Surayud Chulanont during June 2007 and by Viet Nam and Cambodia Prime Ministers during July 2007 which has again revived the activism in India’s engagement with GMS countries.