India okay with BCIM, wants details on China maritime silk road

BEIJING: India today backed China's initiative to build a regional economic corridor also linking Bangladesh and Myanmar, but sought more details from Beijing about its plans for a Maritime Silk Road (MSR) before deciding to take part in the endeavour.

" BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) is a good and positive initiative we will be supportive of it," Vice President Hamid Ansari, who concluded his five-day visit to China today, told scholars of the prestigious China Academy of Social Sciences here while replying to a question.

On the MSR, also a Chinese initiative to revive historical economic linkages through maritime routes in Asia, however, Ansari said more details have been sought during his talks with Chinese leaders in the last two days.

"In the discussions in the last two days the subject has been mentioned. We have asked for more details to be able to study the proposal in all its fullness," he said on India's response to China's invitation to join it.

While BCIM connecting India's north-east with China's Kunming city close to Myanmar border was received well by New Delhi, the strategic objectives of MSR raised questions as China is steadily expanded its influence in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea by building ports in Sri Lanka and acquiring the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, much to the disquiet of India.

Ansari said both sides should be transparent in dealing with each other.

"In a framework of friendship and cooperation we should be clear in spelling out our views so that there are no misunderstandings between interlocutors," he said.