The Indian government has shown an interest in building the Payra Port in Bangladesh, reported Indian media quoting an Indian minister.India’s union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said India Ports Global, the joint venture between state-run JNPT and Kandla Port for overseas ports, has shown interest in the ‘expressions of interest’ Bangladesh floated for building Payra Port, reported Press Trust of India.India has already bagged the strategically important Chabahar Port in Iran, which is not the only strategic measure the Asian giant is taking to strengthen its diplomatic ties in Asia and, at the same time, counter China which is building the Gwadar Port in Pakistan.‘While the Chabahar Port is significant because of a greater economic interest to India, Iran and Afghanistan, it won’t be enough to break the ‘string of pearls’ Beijing is weaving at a rapid pace’, reports opyaps.com.‘In February, Beijing had approached Dhaka with a proposal to build the same port. It was aligned to China’s designs in Sri Lanka, where it is already developing a port.But Bangladesh did not accept the offer and decided to award the deal to New Delhi.’‘Once the port is constructed, it would improve Bangladesh’s economic interests besides helping India’s strategic interests tremendously.’‘The shipping ministry is closely following the developments in regard to the Payra port so as to secure our national and strategic interests,’ a release by the Indian ministry read.‘The plan for Payra is being seen as an outcome of the Narendra Modi government’s ‘Act East’ policy, as part of which increased attention is being given to countries in Southeast Asia, especially those not in the ‘good books’ of China.’‘China’s ‘string of pearls’ is a strategic objective of Beijing to reduce India’s influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). But Southeast Asian countries are themselves standing up to China’s aggressive South China Sea policy.’‘As part of its counterstrategy, the Indian Government is planning to sell BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam despite Beijing’s objections.’