– By Schwn Cyril Sabu
– Intern IPPCS’21
The Sundarbans is a region located in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers, covers a total area of 10,000 square km. spread across India and Bangladesh.
During colonial times, the British promoted cultivation and settlement in the region to increase revenue generation. The deltaic region due to the sedimentary deposits makes the best fertile ground for agriculture. It has a rich source of flora and fauna. The people of the domain largely depend upon agriculture and fishing for their livelihood.
The Sundarbans have been facing environmental challenges with the rising sea levels, frequent storms and salinity variation. This has become a point of deliberation for India and Bangladesh- to come together and collaborate to protect the ecologically significant region. The article will be focussing on the key highlights of the India-Bangladesh 2011 agreement, implementational challenges and the way forward to strengthen the cooperation.
A convention on biological diversity was signed between India and Bangladesh during the 1990s. Two decades later, both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the conservation of the Sundarbans in 2011. The agreement comprises eight articles discussing the possibility of diverse forms of ecological cooperation between India and Bangladesh on reviving the Sundarbans. The provisions of the accord proposed joint collaborative management efforts on Sundarbans. It recommended joint management and monitoring of resources. The creation of a Joint Working Group (JWG) with members from both countries will help to coordinate the key initiatives of the agreement. Developing a management plan will help to address the challenges pertaining to the environmental and livelihood issues of the people. Overall, joint action will help to develop a common and shared understanding between India and Bangladesh. The memorandum emphasises the importance of research to develop a shared understanding of the climate change impact. It has also concentrated on collaboration in fields like information sharing, technical knowledge, joint tiger estimation, patrolling exercises, capacity building exercises, exchange visits between forest officials of both nations.
Alternatively, analysing the implementation of the 2011 MoU will help us to gain insights into the ground reality of the policy. Less amount of achievement has been observed in the cooperation. It took around 5 years to organise the first meeting of the Joint Working Group. The first JWG meeting was organised in 2016 in New Delhi. Hence, it has failed to achieve the greater milestone. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the key challenges of the bilateral agreement.
The 2011 MoU has been silent about environmental issues like sea-level rise, cyclonic storms, coastal flooding, land inundation and other challenges. The agreement has only mentioned developing a common vision of climate change impacts, capacity-building programs and climate change adaptation. As mentioned earlier, the JWG had only met once after the signing of the agreement. This reduces the effectiveness of the engagement between India and Bangladesh for the revival of the Sundarbans. Both countries need to formulate strategies to bolster the initiative.
Institutions hold an important role in the implementation of any projects. The slow functioning of structural bodies reduces the effectiveness of policy implementation. The Joint Workers Group (JWG) should regularly meet in order to arrive at a consensus. A transboundary institutional arrangement is essential for the conservation of the Sundarbans. The government bodies should adopt a participatory and collaborative approach rather than sticking to the conventional procedural system. The platform should be used for effective leadership and resource mobilisation for the preservation of the Sundarbans.
Leadership is a very significant component in providing a clear direction. Establishing a ministerial council with the membership of ministers from external affairs, environment, forest and rural development departments of both countries will be a great step towards the institutional arrangement. The council will be able to provide leadership, resolve disputes and decide on the future direction of the cooperation. Also, the inclusion of the West Bengal Chief Minister will play a great role in the decentralisation process of delegating responsibilities.
Bureaucrats play a crucial role in policy implementation. Building a steering committee consisting of bureaucrats from both nations will help in bringing stronger cooperation. The committee will be able to provide policy guidance, set rules for cooperation, hold meetings and function as a decision-making body. The policy has also emphasised the need for the participation of the West Bengal state government, academicians, NGOs and trade bodies. Holding platform meetings twice a year will help in the implementation of the Common Sundarbans Secretariat, a coordinating mechanism body. Moreover, it will act as a space for dialogue and civil society engagement in the restoration project.
Ecotourism is a potential market for revenue generation for India and Bangladesh. Designing a travel package itinerary starting from Bangladesh or Dhaka will improve tourism. A proposal for a transboundary tourism project using watercraft or other modes would be an innovative idea. At the same time, border security remains a major concern between both nations.
Conducting research studies will be strengthened and develop strategies for reviving the Sundarbans. Evaluation studies in the Sundarbans will help to identify threats of endangerment and extinction of species in the early stage. Climate risk and population impact can be assessed through a landscape study across the region. It will be helpful to formulate mitigation and adaptation strategies to combat the impact of climate change in the region.
Sundarbans is a major area of environmental cooperation between India and Bangladesh. Both countries entered into a formal agreement to revive the region. However, the provisions of the policy are facing implementational level challenges. The cooperation can be improved through the institutional mechanism, greater leadership, research innovation and livelihood opportunity generation in the region. The dedicated effort of both nations will help to preserve and conserve the Sundarbans.
References
- Danda, Anamitra. “The Significance of The Sundarbans in India–Bangladesh Relations | ORF”. ORF, 2021, https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/significance-sundarbans-india-bangladesh-relations/. Accessed 25 Sept 2021.
- Ministry of External Affairs. MOU Between India And Bangladesh On Conservation Of The Sundarban. MEA, Delhi, 2011.
- Anurag Danda, Anamitra. “Environmental Security In The Sundarban In The Current Climate Change Era: Strengthening India-Bangladesh Cooperation”. ORF Occasional Paper, 2019. Observer Research Foundation, https://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ORF_OccasionalPaper_220_Sundarban_NEW-13Nov.pdf. Accessed 25 Sept 2021.
- The Hindu. Importance Of Conserving Sundarbans, The Largest Mangrove Forest In The World. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VHBJdTGH9k. Accessed 22 Sept 2021.
- Reza Chowdhury, Kamran. “India And Bangladesh Agree Joint Initiative For Sundarbans”. The Third Pole, 2015, https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/climate/india-and-bangladesh-mps-agree-joint-initiative-for-sundarbans/. Accessed 22 Sept 2021.
onducted a total of five underground nuclear tests, breaking a 24-year self-imposed moratorium on nuclear testing. Pakistan followed, claiming 5 tests on May 28, 1998, and an additional test on May 30. The unannounced tests created a global storm of criticism, as well as a serious setback for decades of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation efforts in South Asia. On May 13, 1998, President Clinton imposed economic and military sanctions on India, mandated by Section 102 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and applied the same sanctions to Pakistan on May 30. Some effects of the sanctions on India included: termination of $21 million in FY1998 economic development assistance; postponement of $1.7 billion in lending by the International Financial Institutions (IFI), as supported by the Group of Eight (G-8) leading industrial nations; prohibition on loans or credit from U.S. banks to the government of India; and termination of Foreign Military Sales under the Arms Export Control Act. Humanitarian assistance, food, or other agricultural commodities are excepted from sanctions under the law. 
The first ministerial level meeting of QUAD was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Before this, the QUAD had
AusIndEx is an exercise between India and Australia which was first held in 2015.The Australian 
On recommendations of the Japanese government, the four countries met at Manila, Philippines for ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) originally, but also ended up having a meeting of what we call the first meeting of four nation states on issues of 
On his official visit to India, Japanese PM Mr. Shinzo Abe reinforced the ties of two nations, i.e., Japan and India with his famous speech about 
In 2007, Japanese President Shinzo Abe resigned from his post citing health reasons. This had a significant impact on QUAD as he was the architect & advocate of QUAD. His successor, Yasuo Fukuda, did not take up QUAD with such zeal leading to dormancy of the forum. (
Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, also called Great Sendai Earthquake or Great Tōhoku Earthquake, was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake which struck below the floor of the Western Pacific at 2:49 PM. The powerful earthquake affected the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, and also initiated a series of large tsunami waves that devastated coastal areas of Japan, which also led to a major nuclear accident. Japan received aid from India, US, Australia as well as other countries. US Navy aircraft carrier was dispatched to the area and Australia sent search-and-rescue teams. 
India and Australia signed the 
The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed on 11 November, 2016 and came into force on 20 July, 2017 which was representative of strengthening ties between India and Japan. Diplomatic notes were exchanged between Dr. S. Jaishankar and H.E. Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India. (
The foreign ministry
The Officials of QUAD member countries met in Singapore on November 15, 2018 for consultation on regional & global issues of common interest. The main discussion revolved around connectivity, sustainable development, counter-terrorism, maritime and cyber security, with the view to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the 
The 23rd edition of trilateral Malabar maritime exercise between India, US and Japan took place on 26 September- 04 October, 2019 off the coast of Japan. 
After the first ministerial level meeting of QUAD in September, 2019, the senior officials of US, Japan, India and Australia again met for consultations in Bangkok on the margins of the East Asia Summit. Statements were issued separately by the four countries. Indian Ministry of External Affairs said “In statements issued separately by the four countries, MEA said, “proceeding from the strategic guidance of their Ministers, who met in New York City on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly recently, the officials exchanged views on ongoing and additional practical cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development, and security matters, including counterterrorism, cyber and maritime security, with a view to promoting peace, security, stability, prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”
US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held on 18 December, 2019, in Washington DC. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper will host Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar and Minister of Defense Shri Rajnath Singh. The discussion focussed on deepening bilateral strategic and defense cooperation, exchanging perspectives on global developments, and our shared leadership in the Indo-Pacific region.The two democracies signed the Industrial Security Annex before the 2+2 Dialogue. Assessments of the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Indian Ocean region in general were shared between both countries. (
The foreign ministers of QUAD continued their discussions from the last ministerial level meeting in 2019, on 6 October, 2020. While there was no joint statement released, all countries issued individual readouts. As per the issue readout by India, the discussion called for a coordinated response to the challenges including financial problems emanating from the pandemic, best practices to combat Covid-19, increasing the resilience of supply chains, and enhancing access to affordable vaccines, medicines and medical equipment. There was also a focus on maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region amidst growing tensions. Australian media release mentions “We emphasised that, especially during a pandemic, it was vital that states work to ease tensions and avoid exacerbating long-standing disputes, work to counter disinformation, and refrain from malicious cyberspace activity. Ministers reiterated that states cannot assert maritime claims that are inconsistent with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
On September 24, President Biden hosted Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan at the White House for the first-ever in-person Leaders’ Summit of the QUAD. The leaders released a Joint Statement which summarised their dialogue and future course of action. The regional security of the Indo-Pacific and strong confidence in the ASEAN remained on the focus along with response to the Pandemic. 
The QUAD Vaccine Partnership was announced at the first QUAD Summit on 12 March 2021 where QUAD countries agreed to deliver 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally. The aim was to expand and finance vaccine manufacturing and equipping the Indo-Pacific to build resilience against Covid-19. The launch of a senior-level QUAD Vaccine Experts Group, comprised of top scientists and officials from all QUAD member governments was also spearheaded. 
Although the Tsunami Core group had to be disbanded on fulfilment of its purpose, however the quadrilateral template that formed remained intact as a successful scaffolding of four countries, as stated by authors Patrick Gerard Buchan and Benjamin Rimland in their diplomatic brief about QUAD ( you can access the brief at 
Secretary of State Colin Powell stated that the Core Tsunami Group was to be disbanded and folded and clubbed with the broader United Nations led Relief Operations. In a Tsunami Relief Conference in Jakarta, Secretary Powell stated that 
Soon after the Earthquake and Tsunami crisis, humanitarian reliefs by countries, viz., US, India, Japan, and Australia started to help the 13 havoc-stricken countries. The US initially promised $ 35 Millions in aid. However, on 29
At 7:59AM local time, an earthquake of 9.1 magnitude (undersea) hit the coast of Sumatra, an Indonesian island. As a result of the same, massive waves of Tsunami triggered by the earthquake wreaked havoc for 7 hours across the Indian Ocean and to the coastal areas as far away as East Africa. The infamous Tsunami killed around 225,000 people, with people reporting the height of waves to be as high as 9 metres, i.e., 30 feet. Indonesia, Srilanka, India, Maldives, Thailand sustained horrendously massive damage, with the death toll exceeding 200,000 in Northern Sumatra’s Ache province alone. A great many people, i.e., around tens of thousands were found dead or missing in Srilanka and India, mostly from Andaman and Nicobar Islands of Indian territory. Maldives, being a low-lying country, also reported casualties in hundreds and more, with several non-Asian tourists reported dead or missing who were vacationing. Lack of food, water, medicines burgeoned the numbers of casualties, with the relief workers finding it difficult to reach the remotest areas where roads were destroyed or civil war raged. Long-term environmental damage ensued too, as both natural and man-made resources got demolished and diminished.
No responses yet