ABSTRACT
The weak state of connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region is inadequate to support the goal of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation which is to weave together the fast-growing economies of the region in ways that will result in greater growth. This chapter outlines the causes of decline in connectivity, identify the circumstances conducive to improvement and describe the changes that are already underway. Contrary to the usual emphasis given to connectivity that makes possible the transportation of goods by sea and land, it begins with electronic and air connectivity which were not present in historical times. As the economies turned inward, connectivity atrophied. Depending on the extent and form of economic development in the Bay of Bengal, electronic connectivity, already on the rise, will accelerate further. India’s North Eastern states were lacking in connectivity. Improved land connectivity between ports such as Chennai and Visakhapatnam was one of the benefits of the project.
