Why in news?

• Prime Minister undertook his maiden visit to Myanmar in September
• A number of agreements being signed between India and its strategic eastern neighbour.
• A total of 11 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) have been signed between the two governments.
• Deal with wide variety of subjects such as maritime security cooperation, press relations between the two countries and cooperation between the Election Commission and Union Election of Myanmar.

TAKE AWAY FROM THE VISIT.

•  The modalities of Imphal- Mandalay bus service have been chalked out.
•  India has additionally promised the Burmese government of it’s intention to open two Industrial Training Centers to aid developmental activity in Myanmar. 
• The initiative of building a hospital in Nay Payi Taw has been introduced in PM’s first bilateral visit to Myanmar.
• The Foreign Secretary also informed about the agreed Indian assistance to developmental activities in the crisis hit  Rakhine State(Rohingya crisis)
• The two governments also signed agreements to cooperate in ‘Medical Products Regulation’ in the field of health and medicine.
• An MoU on enhancing the cooperation on upgradation of the women’s police training centre at Yamethin in Myanmar has been agreed upon in an effort to boost internal security and law enforcement capabilities in the two neighbouring countries.

On Rohingyas

• India’s moral support: India shares Myanmar’s concerns over “extremist violence” in the Rakhine State, from where 1,25,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the stakeholders to find a solution that respects the country’s unity.
• He appreciated the measures taken by the Government of Myanmar towards peace and national reconciliation and commended the on-going peace process of the Government of Myanmar.
• He noted that peace and stability in Myanmar are of the highest priority to India and reiterated India’s continued support to the Government of Myanmar in consolidating democratic institutions in Myanmar and for the emergence of a democratic Federal Republic.

Terrorism

• .Both sides agreed that terrorism violates human rights and there should, therefore, be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs.
• They  jointly called for the expeditious finalization and adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism by the United Nations General Assembly.
• Myanmar reaffirmed its respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and steadfastly upheld the policy of not allowing any insurgent group to utilise Myanmar’s soil to undertake hostile acts against the Indian Government.

India-Myanmar relations

• Shared ties related to history, ethnicity, religion and culture
• As the birthplace of Budhism, India is an important country for majority of the population of Myanmar
• Immediately after the independence India had signed a Treaty of Friendship with Myanmar in 1951. Rajiv Gandhi had visited the country in 1987 and post 1993 the relations have improved
• India shares boundaries with Myanmar which lies South of the Indian states of Mizoram, Manipur, nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
• 1600 km long common land frontier between the two countries and maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal

Trade

• India and Myanmar have traditional trading relations but the levels are not considered as satisfactory
• need to improve market access by removing all trade barriers with a view to facilitate trade between the two countries.
• Pulses are an important item of trade and Myanmar can play a significant role in ensuring pulses availability for India.
• A long term arrangement on the same has been called for by the PM in his visit

India's support for Myanmar

• India has implemented some major projects in Myanmar these include 160 km. long Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo road; construction and upgradation of the Rhi-Tiddim Road in Myanmar; the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project; etc
• Industrial Training Centres set up with Indian assistance in Pakokku and Myingyan
• Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre and the Centre for English Language Training at Yangon.
• Capacity building programmes for Myanmar judicial officers, military personnel and police.
• US$ 500 million concessional Line of Credit extended by India to Myanmar in 2012.
•  Agreement reached by Numaligarh Refinery of India and Parami Energy Group of Myanmar on supply of diesel to Myanmar across the land border this will give the people of north Myanmar cheaper and more reliable access to petroleum products

India's Interest in Myanmar

• To develop and foster strong relationship on economic as well as security fronts so that Myanmar does not go closer to China
• Ensuring that the militants from NE do not have a safe haven in Myanmar from where they can stage attacks on India
• A stable Myanmar is in the interest of India as the problems of Rohingya refugees can create social conflict as well as internal security challenges
• Myanmar is critical for India's Act East policy as it is the gateway to further South East Asia
• It is important for securing India's borders

China angle

• Myanmar shares a long border with China and Syu Kii had made China her 1st destination for foreign visit
• China is investing heavily in developing the ports and other infrastructure in Myanmar
• China is also critical for Myanmar for maintaining peace in border areas where many restive tribes inhabit

Kaladan Multi Modal Project

• India is supporting various projects in Myanmar that enhance bilateral as well as regional connectivity like the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project and other road and bridge construction projects as fully funded grant-in-aid projects.
• It is a multi-modal transport project having three different stretches involving shipping, Inland Water and road transport stretches.
• Being administered by Ministry of External Affairs and GoI is funding the project.
• Will connect Mizoram to Bay of Bengal and facilitate connectivity between the mainland India and the landlocked North Eastern States through maritime shipping, inland waterways and roads of Myanmar
• The link between landlocked north eastern states and Myanmar will lead to ehanced trade and commerce across the border Enable cultural and social integration at the regional level
• Agreement was signed in 2008 and construction began in 2010. But inadequate funds and poor planning led to delays
• The government revised the budget estimates by nearly six times and has involved the State-owned Ircon Infrastructure and Services Ltd as consultant with an objective to complete the project in 2019.
• Substantial progress made on the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project with the completion of works on the Sittwe Port and the Paletwa Inland Water Transport Terminal and the handing over of six cargo barges to the Myanmar Port Authority and Inland Water Transport.
• The two sides agreed to enter into an MoU on appointing a port operator that may include both sides to be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the port in keeping with the practice that has been adopted at other international ports in Myanmar.
• This would enable the Port and IWT infrastructure to be used commercially and promote development of the surrounding areas even as the final component of the project, the road from Paletwa to Zorinpui, is under construction