“Globalisation is a must. Any country that chooses not to be part of globalisation is bound to be doomed,” he said.

He was speaking at a curtain-raiser ceremony for the forthcoming summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technological and Economic Cooperation in Kolkata.

Bhattacharjee, who has always been known to be the liberal face of the CPM, had earlier supported globalisation in stark contrast to the party line. In fact, a number of CPM leaders had blamed globalisation for the prevailing financial crisis in the country.

Bhattacharjee said that one has to bear the fallouts of a global crisis and India cannot be left out. Developing nations should come together to tide over the situation, he said.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at the summit that India was looking forward to some favourable steps from the developed nations to tide over the global financial crisis.

“We are looking forward to the deliberations to be held by the G-20 member countries later this month,” Mukherjee said.

He expressed the need to impress upon the developed nations that the present global meltdown is not only related to financial institutions and bankers, but is directly linked to the development of the country.

The matter is also likely to come up at a conference of foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member nations from November 11. India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Bangladesh are members of BIMSTEC.

A summit of leaders of the countries will begin in New Delhi from November 13.

Mukherjee stressed on the close cooperation among the BIMSTEC nations, adding that India wants to focus on the issue.