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Home>VisitofMyanmarPresidentUpgradesBilateralTies

VisitofMyanmarPresidentUpgradesBilateralTies
AshokSajjanhar
September02,2016
MyanmarPresidentUHtinKyawpaidadecisivevisittoIndiaattheinvitationofPresidentPranab
Mukherjeefrom27to30August2016.Thiswasthefirstcontactbetweenthetopleadershipofthe
twocountries.ThevisitunderscorestheimportancethatMyanmarattachestorelationswithIndia.It
wouldalsobepertinenttorememberthatPresidentKyawisaloyalaideandconfidantofAungSan
SuuKyithedefactoleaderofMyanmar.ThereasonKyawwasanointedtothetopofficeof
PresidentisbecauseSuuKyiherselfcouldnotassumethatpositionduetoaconstitutional
provisionthatdebarsthosecitizenswhosespouseorchildrenholdforeignnationalityfrom
occupyingthehighestoffice.SinceSuuKyissonsholdBritishcitizenship,shecouldnotbecome
PresidentandinsteadchoseherdevotedfollowerUHtinKyawtoassumethisonerous
responsibility.
Bothsidesavailedtheopportunitytoconductwiderangingandextensivetalksonallfacetsof
bilateralrelations.ThemostimportantmessageconveyedtoPresidentKyawwasthatbyPrime
MinisterModiwho,inhisStatementafterthebilateraltalksheldinHyderabadHouse,statedthatat
everystepoftheway,1.25billionpeopleofIndiawillstandbyyoubothaspartnersandas
friends.Thiswasamessagebothinthecontextofbilateraltiesandintheregionalcontextof
providingbalanceandcounterpoisetotheincreasinginfluenceofChinainMyanmar'saffairswhich
oftenmakesMyanmarcitizensandleaderswaryandnervous.
DuringthecomprehensivetalksbetweenthedelegationsledbyModiandKyaw,theissueof
securityandstabilityalongthe1640kmlonglandbordersharedbythetwocountriesreceived
specialattention.ExternalAffairsMinisterSushmaSwarajhadalsotakenupthismatterduringher
onedayvisittoNaypyidawon22August.ShewasreassuredbyPresidentKyawhimselfthat
Myanmar'sterritorywillnotbeallowedtobeusedforattacksagainstIndia.Indiawasreceiving
Myanmar'sfullcooperationonthisissueevenwhenthemilitaryjuntawasincontrol.WithSuuKyi's
dispensation,thissupportisexpectedtocontinuewiththesamesteadfastnessandsincerity.
Myanmar'scommitmenttoIndia'ssecuritywasreiteratedduringPresidentKyawsvisit.Both
countriesalsoemphasizedtheimportanceofsoundbordermanagementasanintrinsicelementof
maintainingbordersecurity,peaceandstabilityalongtheentirelengthoftheircommonborder.
MyanmarfulfilsavitalrolenotonlyinensuringandpromotingpeaceandsecurityinnortheastIndia
butalsoinitseconomicgrowthandwellbeing.TwooutofthefourAgreementssignedduring
PresidentKyawsvisitrelatetoimprovingconnectivitybetweennortheastIndiaandASEANthrough
Myanmar.ThefirstistheIndiaMyanmarThailandtrilateralhighway,whichshouldhavebeen
completedandmadefunctionalby2015.Buttheprojecthasbeenheavilydelayed.Itisnow
expectedtobecompletedonlyby2020since69bridgesareyettobeconstructed.Thesecond
relatestotheupgradationoftheroadsegmentbetweenKalewaandYagyi.Earlycompletionand
operationalisationoftheKaladanMultimodalTransitTransportProjectbyDecember2016was

highlighted.Bothcountriesexpressedtheirresolvetostrengthenmaritimesecuritycooperationin
theBayofBengal.Myanmaristhefulcrumthatwilldeterminethesuccessofthe''ActEastPolicy''
launchedbyPrimeMinisterModiinNaypyidawinNovember2014.
DuringPresidentKyawsvisit,itwasdecidedtostrengthenengagementintheeconomicand
commercialspheres,includingagriculture,banking,powerandenergy,andtradeinpulses.Both
countriesagreedtoexpandcooperationinoilexplorationandhydrocarbonpipelineconstructionby
Indiancompanies.
Indiaofferedtoshareitsexperienceofcreatinginstitutionsforavibrantandresponsivedemocracy
asalsowaystodealwithrelationsbetweentheCentreandtheStatesandRegionsaswellas
ethnicandreligiousminorities.Indiaexpressedsupportforthenationalreconciliationandpeace
processoftheGovernmentofMyanmarunderthe"21stCenturyPanglongConference.
Developmentalcooperationincludingcapacitybuilding,education,healthcare,infrastructureand
strengtheningofinstitutionsinMyanmarweregivenanimpetusduringPresidentKyawsvisit.Both
countriesnotedwithsatisfactionthesubstantialsupportprovidedbyIndiaintheareaof
constructionofseveralhospitals,IT,agricultureservices,etc.Further,culturalcooperationand
academicexchangeswereprovidedsignificantemphasisduringthediscussions.

SuuKyivisitsChina
Whilenotingwithsatisfactionthepositivediscussionsandagreementsreachedbetweenthetwo
countries,itispertinenttorememberthatStateCounsellor,ForeignMinisterandveritableheadof
MyanmarAungSanSuuKyichoseChinaasthefirstcountryforhervisit.Shepaida5day
successfulvisittoChinafrom17to21August2016.DuringthelongperiodthatSuuKyiwas
incarceratedandunderhousearrest,shewasextremelycriticalofChinassupportforthemilitary
junta.Buttheresponsibilitiesofgovernanceandadministrationappeartohaveforcedhertorevise
herviewpointregardingChina.Sheseemstohaverecognisedtheinescapablenecessityof
mendingfenceswithBeijingandmaintainnormal,cordialties.
Maintainingdomesticpeaceandensuringeconomicprosperityandgrowtharethefundamental
reasonsforSuuKyitoreviseheropinionandtorespondpositivelytoChina'sovertures.Myanmar
sharesa2000kmpluslongborderwithChina.Theborderregionbetweenthetwocountriesis
inhabitedbyseveralethnicgroupswhohavenotenteredintoapeaceagreementwithNaypyidaw.
Chinacanplayasignificantroleinensuringthatthesegroupsmaintainpeaceandtranquillityalong
theborderanddonotderailthedomesticdevelopmentagendaoftheNLDgovernment.China's
supportforthesuccessofthePanglongConferenceon31August2016tobringpeaceamongstthe
embattledethnicgroupsisconsideredvital.

Movingaheadwiththebilateralrelationship
IndiawaslateinreachingouttoSuuKyiafterherassumptionofpowerinMarch2016.Chinas
ForeignMinister,WangYi,wasthefirstforeignleadertoreachNaypyidawon5April,withinaweek
oftheNLDGovernmentsassumptionofoffice.Asagainstthis,ExternalAffairsMinisterSushma
SwarajwasthefirstseniorIndianleadertovisitNaypyidawforaonedayvisiton22August,agood
fourandahalfmonthsaftertheNLDgovernmentwasswornin.
Indiahasstartedoutlatebutcanmakeupforlosttimebyfocussingonthetaskaheadwith
determination.Bothcountriessharearichheritageofcivilisational,religious,economicandcultural
ties,whichhavethecapacitytoprovideastrongimpetustothenascentrelationship.

SuuKyiwillvisitIndiainOctoberfortheBRICSBIMSTECSummitduringwhichshewillgetan
opportunitytomeetPrimeMinisterModiandotherworldleaders.
StrongandwiderangingrelationswithIndiaserveMyanmarwell,bothforitspeace,securityand
economicdevelopmentaswellastooffsettheclosenesswithChinawhichhasthepossibilityof
makingtheMyanmarpeopleandleadershipapprehensiveanduneasy.
AdemocraticandpopulargovernmentinNaypyidawprovidesgreateropportunitiestoIndiato
engageinamutuallybeneficialpartnership.ThemessagePresidentKyawtookbackfromNew
DelhiisthatIndiastandsreadytosupportMyanmarineverypossiblewayonitsmarchtosecurity,
reconciliationandprosperity.AsPrimeMinisterModinoted,''AbrightfutureforMyanmarisnotjust
yourobjective.Itisalsoouraspiration.''
ViewsexpressedareoftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheIDSAorofthe
GovernmentofIndia.
Keywords:IndiaMyanmarRelations
Myanmar
SourceURL:http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/visitofmyanmarpresidentupgradesbilateralties_asajjanhar_020916