A broadly interconnected Asia sees the simultaneous rise of India and China as strong states and even stronger markets. New ideas and initiatives of trans-regional economic corridors to further link regions of Asia and beyond have been emerging in recent years. China has initiated the Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road (together the One Belt, One Road or OBOR) with the aim to link the country with and those of Central and Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Japan has been involved in developing strategic corridors in South and Southeast Asia. India has been pushing for strengthening its linkages with Southeast Asia and Central Asia. Similarly, the United States has envisioned an Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor to bridge South and Southeast Asia. Within this context, this volume attempts to capture the rationales behind the various initiatives with a specific focus on linking South and Southeast Asia. The papers in the volume assess the economic and strategic implications of the trans-regional economic corridors in South and Southeast Asia.

Introduction

• Emerging Trans-Regional Corridors: Perspectives from South and Southeast Asia | K. Yhome and Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy

Linking South and Southeast Asia

• Connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia: A Reality Check | Tariq A. Karim
• India:The Bridge Linking South and Southeast Asia | Sreeradha Datta

Projects, Proposals and Plans

• Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor: A Vision in Progress | Shankari Sundararaman
• The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road | Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy
• The BCIM Economic Corridor: Prospects and Challenges | K. Yhome
• Trans-Himalayan Economic Corridor: Nepal as a Gateway | Madhukar S.J.B. Rana

Economic and Security Imperatives

• The MSR Economic Corridor: Character and Implications | Amitendu Palit
• China’s MSR: A Strategic View from India | Darshana M. Baruah
• China, ASEAN and the MSR: A Southeast Asian Perspective | Martin A. Sebastian

• Neighbourhood

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