******BCIM CORRIDOR******

 The Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation(BCIM) is a sub-regional organisation of Asian nations aimed at greater integration of trade and investment between the four countries

The BCIM CORRIDOR is also known as  NEW  SILK ROAD.

ABOUT IT:

It is designed to start from  China's Kunming province to Kolkata in India, and link Mandalay in Myanmar and Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh through a network of roads, railways, waterways, and airways under a proper regulatory framework.

This is known as "KUNMING- INITIATIVE" suggested byProfessor Rehman Sobhan, who advocated that multi-modal transport connectivity and supported by other initiatives and infrastructure development could significantly reduce transaction costs, stimulate trade and investment and consequently accelerate growth and poverty alleviation in this region

The initiative seeks to improve connectivity and infrastructure - power projects, telecommunications etc. Utilize energy resources more effectively among nations, boost agricultural growth across the region boost trade and investment.

BENEFITS to INDIA and BCIM

Together, the BCIM countries account for 9 per cent of the global landmass and 40 per cent of the global population.

Special emphasis in BCIM is on inter-regional road network as roads are the cheapest route of trade. This will lower transportation costs between India and China by 30 per cent and escalate already growing Sino–Indian trade through the BCIM Corridor.

The BCIM Corridor will allow all four countries to exploit existing
complementarities in trade — in terms of both sectors and products. Myanmar is a primary goods exporter and has abundant cheap labour. India has positioned itself as a leading services exporter. China is the largest manufacturing exporter in the world; and Bangladesh, like many other South Asian countries, engages in both services export and low-end manufactured goods.

To address energy security, BCIM sub-regional cooperation can capitalise on hydrocarbons in Bangladesh, hydro-electric and mineral resources in Northeast India, natural gas reserves in Myanmar, and coal reserves in East Indian states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and China͛s Yunnan province.

India's Engagement with Myanmar will contribute to India's energy Security as India is currently heavily dependent on Gulf oil imports.
These initiatives will also lead to economic development of the NE region of India with special emphasis on infrastructure creation and people-to-people contacts.

Moreover,
It  is an ambitious project for china and India.
Why? 
a)For providing connectivity between LAND LOCKED REGIONS TO SEA PORTS
b)India's connection with ASEAN nations.
c)Development of North East states of India.
d)Market to market connection amongst the associated counries.
e)Reduction in Transportation Cost due to connectivity
f)Enhance people to people contact.

g)Through linking the ASEAN Free Trade Area, ASEAN-China Free Trade Area and the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area, the corridor would constitute as one of the largest free trade areas(FTA-ZONE). Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar hope to create a corridor that would effectively combine road, rail, water and air linkages in the region.This will also bolster foreign trade of the BCIM countries and empower bilateral trading

But there are certain issues

Traditional issues:--
a)Environmental clearances---one of the world richest area in terms of biodiversity.
b)Lack of coordination:--
i)between states
II)between center and local government
iii)different departments of states.

c)Border security and management