As pundits justifiably single out China for opprobrium, no one is pointing a finger at India, the Bush administration's new friend in South Asia. In the end, though, India's geo-strategic designs in its northeastern frontier are as compelling as China's southern concerns.

India has expressed concern over the developments in Myanmar and urged its government to be more inclusive and broad based. "India is concerned at and is closely monitoring the Myanmar situation. It is our hope that all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue. India has always believed that Myanmar?s process of political reform and national reconciliation should be more inclusive and broad-based," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said.

The developments in Myanmar have the potential to upset India's security calculations in the northeast, besides delaying its attempt to find a firmer foothold in the hydrocarbon sector. Other initiatives that could take a back seat if the situation worsens are a breakthrough in getting an alternate terrestrial route to the northeast via Myanmar and bilateral and multilateral negotiations to promote greater economic cooperation.

The uncertainty in getting offshore exploration blocks ended last week with the signing of production sharing contracts for three deep-water exploration blocks. In addition, India is part of a consortium looking for gas in two more blocks. More business would depend on India engaging more intimately with the current regime, including a second line of credit of $ 20 million to refurbish a refinery.

Not much solidarity with Buddhist monks (and non-Buddhists, too!) here! And, at least Beijing contemplates the possibility of opposition rule; New Dehli is so far from calling for an opposition government, it fears anything but a strong central government. Even Michael Goldfarb's tribute to Mia Farrow and condemnation of Moscow is all a bit hollow. After all, if pundits of any ideological stripe are determined to frame Beijing's ascendance in Asia as a new cold war, will they lecture the US if it arm-twists South America again? The sin, Goldfarb, and Sullivan, all bloated rhetoric about revolutions aside, seem to be imputing, is that Beijing and New Dehli are doing (in a dark-side-of-the-Force way), but Washington, and all American do-gooders, can only watch impotently. But, if we could, by golly, we'd be Skywalker! I'd prefer to be Indian, if that's all America has to show.

Reading the statements offered by various Burmese and world leaders, one problem, aside from the fundamental geo-strategic predicament of Myanmar and Chinese and Indian indifference, is the lack of agreement about what to do. Actually, I think the EU's comprehensive recommendations point to the immediate tactic: beef up ASEAN. The troubled IGO is Southeast Asia's best hope against Chinese and Indian encroachment and internal rebellion in its member-states. But, the US spends about as little time supporting it, and about as much time enfeebling it as China.

But, first, a common statement from the world would really make the Burmese junta listen. Washington could lead that effort.