India and Myanmar sign four bi-lateral agreements

President U Htin Kyaw, is on an official visit to India (Aug 27-30), on the invitation of the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.

This will be the first State visit by the Myanmar President after the assumption of office by the new government in Myanmar in March 2016.

The President of Myanmar met the Indian Prime Minister at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday for bi-lateral talks, where the four agreements were also signed and exchanged.

The four agreements that were signed were facilitating construction and upgradation of 69 bridges, construction of Kalga-Yardi road section of the Trilateral Highway Project, MoU on Cooperation in Renewable Energy and an MoU on the Traditional Systems of Medicine.

During the joint press briefing held at Hyderabad House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Myanmar holds a unique position in India's neighbourhood and acts as a land bridge that connects India with South East Asia.

Addressing the President, Modi said, " Your great nation has entered a new era. An era defined by maturity of your leadership and commitment of your people to democracy. And, which is accompanied by a clear vision and a strong desire of your leadership to make Myanmar a stable, and economically prosperous country in the region."

Modi also highlighted that India's "nearly two billion dollar development assistance is touching the lives of the common man of Myanmar."

"We are also determined to deepen our cooperation in agriculture, banking, power, and energy.," he said.

The Indian Prime Minister also pointed out that that the two countries have also agreed to work towards a long-term and a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses.

In April this year, India began supplying power to Tamu in Myanmar.

"I have told the President that we are willing to substantially scale up our supply of power," Modi said.

Narendra Modi said that "I am happy that our partnership is restoring Ananda temple in Bagan in Myanmar. We are also ready to restore other historic monuments and pagodas, which were damaged in the earthquake which hit Myanmar just last week."

Modi concluded the press briefing by saying that the President's visit has been most timely and his discussions with the President of Myanmar resulted in a road map and an action agenda for cooperation between the two countries.

 
Images: PIB