India and Myanmar have agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations as well as increase cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, connectivity, development partnership, capacity building, security and border management. During detailed talks held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing agreed to further deepen relations between the two neighboring countries.
In the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said that India is ready to provide all kinds of help in taking forward the process of peace and dialogue in Myanmar. He also talked about sharing experiences of federal governance and economic development. The Prime Minister emphasized that better connectivity will promote mutually beneficial economic relations and shared prosperity in the region. In this regard, both sides shared the importance of working together towards completing the ‘Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project’ and the ‘India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway’.
Increase in ‘Mekong Ganga ICCR Scholarships’
PM Modi said that ‘Mekong Ganga ICCR Scholarships’ for Myanmar students will be increased from 36 to 100 from 2026. Both sides agreed to facilitate and expand bilateral trade, including trade through the ‘Rupee-Kyat Settlement Mechanism’. He appreciated the steady growth recorded in transaction volumes since the launch of this mechanism in May 2024. Both sides also supported each other for closer trade and investment cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as agro-processing, petroleum, energy and mining sectors, in accordance with their respective national laws and regulations.
Myanmar President gave assurance to PM Modi
The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar. Both sides stressed the importance of preventing the misuse of their sovereign lands for activities prejudicial to their security interests. The President reiterated Myanmar’s assurance that its land will not be allowed to be used against India’s security interests. The Prime Minister further said, India will always continue to support Myanmar in line with India’s Neighborhood First, Act East and Ocean policies.
Partnership for Peace, Progress and Prosperity
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Twitter that the talks between Prime Minister Modi and the President of Myanmar were wide-ranging and both the countries agreed to take forward the partnership for peace, progress and prosperity. He said that India is a reliable neighbor for Myanmar and the first ally in times of crisis.
Leave a Reply