Embassy of IndiaYangon, Myanmar

Press Release
Embassy of India
Yangon
Visit of Prime Minister of India to Myanmar

At the invitation of the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar H.E. U Thein Sein, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, paid a State visit to Myanmar from May 27 to 29, 2012. He was accompanied by his wife Smt. Gursharan Kaur, H.E. Mr. S.M. Krishna, Minister for External Affairs of India and senior officials and businesspersons.

This was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Myanmar in 25 years. The last visit was that of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987. Myanmar President U Thein Sein paid a State visit to India in October 2011.

The official programme began with a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw on 28th May 2012. Discussions between the two sides including delegation level talks soon followed. The President of Myanmar hosted a state banquet in honour of Prime Minister.

The two leaders agreed on a vision for the future in the pursuit of common goals of development - bilateral, regional and global. Bilaterally, they agreed to cooperate in areas of border area development, transportation, connectivity, agriculture, trade and investment, promotion of friendly exchanges and human resource development. The Prime Minister of India reiterated India's readiness to extend all necessary assistance to Myanmar to support its development and democratization. The two leaders also agreed to cooperate to promote peace and stability in the region, which is necessary for the development and well-being of the people of both countries. In all, twelve MoUs and agreements were signed that signaled this concrete demonstration of this commitment to cooperation. A Joint Statement was issued at the conclusion of official discussions, which can be seen at the Mission’s website www.indiaembassy.net.mm

India’s development cooperation with Myanmar is substantial. Over US 1.2 billion dollars has already been committed by Government of India in such projects, which are in the sectors of infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, industrial development and culture. Some key projects that are currently under implementation are those of upgradation of the Yangon Children’s Hospital and Sittwe General Hospital; Kaladan project; setting up of a new Industrial Training Centre in Myingyan; restoration of the Ananda Temple in Bagan, etc. Newly announced projects are those of the setting up of the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology, Advance Centre for Agriculture Research and Education and Rice Bio Park. A number of small projects for setting up of schools, health centres and hospitals in remote areas in Chin State and the Naga Hills will also be undertaken in the coming months.

Apart from the official engagements in Nay Pyi Taw, the Prime Minister also visited Yangon. His engagements there included a meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Chairperson of the National League for Democracy and a meeting with the Indian community. He also gave a public address on the theme “India and Myanmar: A Partnership for Progress and Regional Development” to an invited audience of Government leaders, politicians, intellectuals, businesspersons and media persons in an event sponsored by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (RUMFCCI) and the Myanmar Development Resource Institute. He later visited the holy Shwedagon Pagoda, offered prayers and gifted a small replica of a 16 foot sandstone statue of the Sarnath Buddha, which will be installed in the precincts of the Pagoda later in the year. A sum of USD 100,000 has been donated on behalf of the Government and people of India at a time when the Pagoda is observing its 2600th anniversary. He also paid homage at the shrine of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor of India. A sum of USD 50,000 and a generator and sound system are being given to the Mazar Trust for maintenance and upkeep of the shrine.

A high level business delegation sponsored by FICCI and CII was present in Myanmar at the same time as the Prime Minister’s visit. The delegation participated in a Round Talk meeting arranged by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Government Departments in Nay Pyi Taw on 28th May. A few MOUs were also signed by certain Indian companies with their Myanmar collaborators. The business leaders also called on President U Thein Sein.

The Prime Minister invited President U Thein Sein to visit India which was accepted.