INDIA-MYANMAR RELATIONS

INDIA-MYANMAR RELATIONS
Compiled by: Kriti (BBA-II, IMS, Bikaner)
India-Myanmar relations are rooted in shared historical, ethnic, cultural and religious
ties. As the land of Lord Buddha, India is a country of pilgrimage for the people of
Myanmar. India and Myanmar share a long land of over 1600 km and a maritime
boundary in the Bay of Bengal. A large population of Indian origin (according to some
estimates about 2.5 million) lives in Myanmar.
India and Myanmar signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1951. Bilateral relations were
close during the period U Nu was Prime Minister (1948-62). During the years
Myanmar was ruled by Gen. Ne Win (1962-1988), bilateral relations were static but
cordial. During the preceding decade, India-Myanmar relations have developed and
diversified satisfactorily. A number of agreements, including the Tripartite Maritime
Agreement between India, Myanmar and Thailand determining the tri-junction point
in the Andaman Sea, Border Trade Agreement, MoU on Cooperation between the
Civilian Border Authorities have been signed. Institutional mechanisms for facilitating
regular dialogue on a range of issues of bilateral interest have also been established.
In 2002, our Consulate General in Mandalay was re-opened and the Consulate
General of Myanmar was set up in Kolkata.
High-Level Visits
A series of high-level visits have also taken place since 2000, beginning with the visit
of Vice Senior General Maung Aye, Vice Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) to Shillong in January 2000. This was followed by Gen.
Maung Aye’s week long visit to India in November 2000 at the invitation of the Vice
President. Gen. Maung Aye’s delegation included the Myanmar Deputy Prime Minister
and seven other ministers. The External Affairs Minister, Shri Jaswant Singh visited
Myanmar in February 2001 for the inauguration of the Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa road
and the Remote Sensing and Data Processing Centre. He visited Yangon again in April
2002 for the India-Myanmar-Thailand Ministerial Meeting on Transport Linkages. The
Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung visited India in January 2003 and then again in
July 2003 as a Special Envoy of Chairman SPDC, Senior General Than Shwe. During
the visit he called on the Prime Minister to hand over a letter from Senior General
Than Shwe. Our Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Arun Jaitley visited
Myanmar in July 2003 to sign a MoU on the establishment of a Joint Trade
Committee. Shri Arun Shourie, Minister for Communications & Information
Technology visited Myanmar in August 2003. A MoU on IT cooperation was signed
during the visit. The Vice President, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat visited Myanmar
from November 2-6, 2003 at the invitation of Vice Senior General Maung Aye. This
was the first VVIP visit from India since 1987 when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had
visited Myanmar. The Myanmar Foreign Minister visited New Delhi again in December
2003.
Several high-level visits were exchanged during 2004 culminating in the visit of
Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of
Myanmar to India from 24-29 October, 2004. The important exchanges during the
year included visits to India by the Myanmar Minister of Communication, Posts and
Telegraphs for the Second Asian IT Ministers’ Meeting in January; Myanmar Minister
of Energy in January; Myanmar Deputy Defence Minister participated in Def EXPO in
February; and both Foreign Minister Win Aung and Minister of Railways, Major Gen.
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Aung Min visited India in July 2004. From India, Foreign Secretary Shri Shyam Saran
visited Yangon for Foreign Office Consultations in October; Minister of State for
Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises (IC), Shri Santosh Mohan Dev visited Mandalay
for a seminar on India-Myanmar Trade and Economic Cooperation in November; and
Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy also paid a visit in November.
Visit of Chairman SPDC
The Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar, Senior
General Than Shwe paid a historic State visit to India from 24-29 October 2004 at
the invitation of Rashtrapatiji. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation
comprising eight Cabinet Ministers including Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Industry,
Energy, Rail Transportation, Communications, Science and Technology, Health and
Religious Affairs. During his visit, Senior General Than Shwe met with President and
Vice President and held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister on bilateral, regional
and global issues of mutual interest and concern. Chairman SPDC categorically
stated that Myanmar would not allow its territory to be used for hostile activity
against India. A Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the field of Non-
Traditional Security Issues was signed between the two countries. Both sides also
expressed great interest in furthering cooperation in the field of infrastructure and
energy. A MoU on the Tamanthi Hydroelectric Project on Chindwin River in Myanmar
was signed. The two sides also inked the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2004-06.
In the Joint Statement released at the end of the visit, the Myanmar government
expressed full support for India’s bid for permanent membership of the UN Security
Council. Meetings also took place at the ministerial level between the visiting
ministers and their Indian counterparts. Apart from New Delhi, the delegation visited
Agra, Bangalore, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Kolkata.
Visits in 2005-06
In 2005, the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas paid a visit to Myanmar from 11-
14 January 2005 during which a bilateral MoU on Cooperation in the Hydrocarbon
Sector was signed. In addition, in-principle agreement was reached between the
Petroleum / Energy Ministers of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh on construction of a
gas pipeline from Myanmar to India via Bangladesh. This was followed by EAM’s visit
to Myanmar from 24-27 March 2005. During his visit, EAM called on SPDC Chairman
Senior General Than Shwe and Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Soe Win and held wideranging
discussions with his counterpart, Foreign Minister U. Nyan Win on the entire
gamut of bilateral relations. The Myanmar Energy Minister, Brigadier General Lun
Thi also paid a visit to India from 5-7 July 2005 at the invitation of our Minister of
Petroleum and Natural Gas and again in October 2005 for the BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting on Energy Matters. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U. Kyaw Thu was in
New Delhi in October 2005 for the Foreign Office Consultations and called on EAM
and Minister of State, Shri E. Ahamed during his visit. The last high-level visit in
2005 was by the Chief of Army Staff General J.J. Singh to Myanmar from 29 October
to 2 November 2005, which was very well received. The first high-level visit to
Myanmar in 2006 was that of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash in January.
The Myanmar Commerce Minister visited Kolkata in January 2006 for the Partnership
Summit.
Visit of Hon’ble President Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam to Myanmar
Hon’ble President DR.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam paid a visit to Myanmar from 8-11 March
,2006. This was the first visit by an Indian President to Myanmar and first Head of
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State , Head of Government level visit from India to Myanmar after Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi’s visit in 1987. MoU’s on Cooperation in the Petroleum Sector between
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and Ministry of Energy Myanmar ;
Cooperation in Buddhist Studies between the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations(ICCR) and Ministry of Religious Affairs of Myanmar & Framework
Agreement for Mutual Cooperation in the field of Remote Sensing between
Government of India and Government of Union of Myanmar were signed during this
visit.
Agreements Signed in Recent Years
A number of agreements have been signed between the two countries in the last few
years. During 2003, seven Agreements/MoUs were signed viz. the Protocol on
Consultations between the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Myanmar; MoU providing for the deputation of teaching personnel from
India for short-term courses at universities in Myanmar through EdCIL; MoU on the
establishment of the Joint Trade Committee (JTC); MoU on Cooperation in
Communications, IT and Services; Agreement on extension of a Credit Line of US$ 25
million to the Government of Myanmar; Agreement on Visa Exemption for Official and
Diplomatic Passport Holders and MoU between Ministry of Human Resource
Development, Government of India and the Ministry of Education, Government of the
Union of Myanmar.
During 2004, eight Agreements/MoUs were concluded between India and Myanmar
viz. MoU for setting up an Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Yangon; Letter of
Understanding on Cooperation in the Telecom Sector; EXIM Bank’s Line of Credit of
US$ 56.358 million for the Yangon-Mandalay Trunkline Railway Project; MoU on
Cooperation in the field of Railways; Dollar Credit Line Agreement of US$ 7 million
between Myanma Foreign Trade Bank, Myanmar and Export-Import Bank of India;
MoU on Cooperation in the field of Non-traditional Security Issues; MoU on the
Tamanthi Hydro Electric Power Project and Cultural Exchange Programme 2004-06.
In January 2005, a MoU on Energy Cooperation was signed between India and
Myanmar.
In 2006, MoU’s on Cooperation in the Petroleum Sector between Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and Ministry of Energy Myanmar ; Cooperation in
Buddhist Studies between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations(ICCR) and
Ministry of Religious Affairs of Myanmar & Framework Agreement for Mutual
Cooperation in the field of Remote Sensing between Government of India and
Government of Union of Myanmar were signed .
Commercial and Economic Relations
Bilateral trade has expanded significantly from US$ 12.4 million in 1980-81 to US$
425 million in 2004-05. India’s imports from Myanmar are dominated by agricultural
items (especially beans and pulses) and forest based products. India’s main exports
to Myanmar are primary and semi-finished steel and pharmaceuticals. Following are
the export-import figures as per the Central Statistical Organization (CSO), Yangon:-
Trade with India (at official rate of exchange)
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Exports: 2001-02: US$ 345.74 million
2002-03: US$ 324.76 million
2003-04: US$ 361.38 million
2004-05: US$ 341.40 million
Imports: 2001-02: US$ 82.27 million
2002-03: US$ 106.69 million
2003-04: US$ 108.85 million
2004-05: US$ 83.87 million
At the institutional level, Confederation of Indian Industry and the Union of Myanmar
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) entered into a MoU in
February, 2000. A MoU was also signed between CII and the Myanmar Computer
Federation (MCF). Embassy of India in Yangon in collaboration with CII organized
the ‘Made in India Show’ (MIIS) 2004 in Yangon in February 2004. The highlights of
the show were a trade exhibition, seminars on ICT linkages and bilateral trade, a
food festival and a multi-city cultural tour by a Rajasthani folk troupe. During MIIS
2004, an Agreement on setting up of a Joint Task Force between Union of Myanmar
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and Confederation of
India Industry was signed, as was a MoU between Myanmar-India Business Club
(MIBC) and Federation of Industries and Commerce of North-Eastern Region.
Details of Indian Credit Lines / Official Assistance
GOI has extended a number of general and project-specific credit lines to Myanmar
in the last few years. A credit line of US$ 10 million was extended in April 1999,
another credit line of US$ 15 million credit was provided in November 2000 and a
third credit line of US$ 25 million was extended in October 2003. In addition, the
following project specific credit lines have been extended: a credit line of US$ 56
million in 2004 for upgradation of the Yangon-Mandalay Trunk line; a credit line of
US$ 7 million in October 2004 for financing telecom projects (this includes setting up
an Optical Fibre Link between Moreh and Mandalay and ADSL systems in Yangon,
Mandalay etc); and a line of credit of US$ 20 million in July 2005 for revamping of
the Thanlyin refinery in Myanmar.
Major Indian Projects in Myanmar
GOI is involved in over a dozen cross-border projects in Myanmar in both
infrastructural and non-infrastructural areas for the progress and prosperity of both
countries. The upgradation of the 160 km long Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo road in
Myanmar was completed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in February 2001
and GOI has committed to maintain the road up to March 2008. Other projects at
various stages of implementation include construction/ upgradation of the Rhi-Tidim
and Rhi-Falam road sections in Myanmar; the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project;
the Tamanthi Hydro Electric Power Project; the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral
Highway Project, etc.
Myanmar is also emerging as a partner in strengthening our energy security. ONGC
Videsh Ltd. (OVL) and GAIL have acquired 20% and 10% participating interest in the
A-I Block off the Rakhine coast. OVL has also succeeded in securing participation in
the A-III Block where the primary player is Daewoo of Korea. In May 2005, Essar Oil
Limited signed production sharing contracts for the A-2 block and the on-shore L-
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block. In March, 2006 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and Ministry of
Energy Myanmar signed an MoU on Cooperation in the Petroleum Sector
Science & Technology Exchanges
Cooperation in the field of Science and technology is also picking up. A Science and
Technology Agreement was signed between the two countries in 1999 under which a
Joint Working Group (JWG) was set up. The JWG has held four meetings in April
2000, December 2001, November 2003 and December 2004 respectively. ISRO
assisted Myanmar in setting up a data processing centre in Yangon for remote
sensing applications. In the field of Bio-technology, two Workshops have been held
under the Work Plan on Biotechnology which was signed in September 2000. A joint
oceanographic survey of the Andaman Sea was carried out in April-May 2002 and
three workshops have been held in the field of Oceanography. A joint project on
installation of tidal gauges in coastal Myanmar (Yangon and Pathein) fructified in
April 2004. As part of S&T cooperation programme, solar electrification of a village in
upper Myanmar was completed in October 2002 by Central Electronics Limited (CEL).
In March 2006, Framework Agreement for Mutual Cooperation in the field of Remote
Sensing between Government of India and Government of Union of Myanmar has
been signed.
ITEC Assistance Programmes
Myanmar is a beneficiary of training programmes under ITEC, TCS of Colombo Plan
and GCSS of ICCR. The slots for Myanmar trainees in 2004-05 were as follows: ITEC
– 130; Colombo Plan – 42; and GCSS of ICCR – 10.
Cultural Exchanges
Performances by Indian cultural troupes in Myanmar have been organised on a
regular basis since 1997. A bilateral cultural cooperation agreement was signed in
2001 and followed up with the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2004-06 signed in
October 2004. Details of the incoming and outgoing groups/ delegations from 2002
onwards are as follows:-
Incoming
Outgoing
1. Bhangra & Gidda Folk Dance Troupe
(20-25 January, 2002)
1. Myanmar Folk Dance Troupe (22
February-1 March, 2002)
2. Qawwali Group (26-31 December,
2002)
2. Myanmar Music and Dance Troupe
(26 December-6 January, 2003)
3. Manipuri Dance Troupe (15-23
February, 2003)
3. Myanmar Eminent Handicraft
Specialist (27 March-7 April, 2003)
4. Bharata Kalanjali Troupe (7-14
April, 2003
4. Myanmar Music and Dance Troupe
(29 September-13 October 2003)
5. Kathak Dance Troupe (13-19
October, 2003)
5. A 3-member delegation from
Myanmar attended the ‘International
Conclave on Buddhism and Spiritual
Tourism’ in India (17-19 February,
2004).
6. Rajasthani Folk Music and Dance
Group (19-26 February, 2004)
6. A 12-member Cultural Troupe from
Myanmar visited India from 21-30
March, 2005.
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7. Film Week held in Yangon and
Mandalay (18-24 August and 1-5
September, 2004 respectively).
8. Exhibition titled “The Path of
Compassion” by Shri Benoy K. Behl
held in Yangon coinciding with the
World Buddhist Summit (12-14
December, 2004).
9. 10-member Media delegation visited
Myanmar under the India-ASEAN
Media Exchange Programme (22-25
May, 2005).
10. Screening of the film “Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero”
in Yangon (15-16 August, 2005).
11. 5 member delegation from
Archaeological Survey of India (5-
14 November, 2005).
12. ‘Contemporary Art Exhibition’ from
Lalit Kala Akademi, India organized
at National Museum, Yangon (18-25
November, 2005).
13. ICCR-sponsored 7 member Qawwali
Troupe (23-25 December, 2005).
Types of visas issued
The Indian Mission in Yangon has been issuing Tourist, Business, Study, Research,
Training, Transit and Entry Visas. Since 15 March 2005, holders of Indian official and
diplomatic passports do not require a visa to visit Myanmar.
Air links with India / Convenient Travel Routes
1. Daily connection to India by Thai Airways via Bangkok;
2. Indian Airlines flies Kolkata-Yangon (to-and-fro) twice a week on Mondays
and Thursdays;
3. The operations of Myanmar Airways International (MAI) which used to fly
thrice a week from Yangon to New Delhi and back (on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays to New Delhi and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to
Yangon) have been suspended from 15 September, 2005 till further notice.
Cooperation between India and Myanmar in Regional/Sub-Regional Context
(i) BIMSTEC: Myanmar became a member of BIMSTEC in December 1997. It
attended the Sixth Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Phuket, Thailand and is a
signatory to the Free Trade Agreement. BIMSTEC has identified six sectors for
cooperation, for each of which a “lead country” has been designated with the
responsibility for coordinating cooperation in that sector. Myanmar is the lead
country for the energy sector.
Myanmar trades mostly with Thailand and India in the BIMSTEC region. Myanmar’s
major exports to India are agricultural products like beans, pulses and maize and
forest products such as teak and hardwoods. Its imports from India include chemical
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products, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances and transport equipment. To
Thailand, Myanmar exports mainly fish, prawn and timber. Its major imports from
Thailand are textile fabrics, plastic articles, base metals and electrical appliances.
Due to geographical contiguity, Myanmar’s trade with Thailand is mostly overland
while sea routes are used for trading with other BIMSTEC countries.
(ii) Mekong Ganga Cooperation: Myanmar is a member of the Mekong Ganga
Cooperation (MGC) since its inception in November 2000. MGC is an initiative by six
countries – India and five ASEAN countries namely, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam – for cooperation in the fields of tourism, education, culture,
transport and communication. The chairmanship of MGC is assumed by member
countries in alphabetical order.
(iii) ASEAN: Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in July 1997. As the only
ASEAN country which shares a land border with India, Myanmar is a bridge between
India and ASEAN. A few proposals for cooperation are under discussion with
Myanmar within the framework of ASEAN’s IAI programme. Of these, the Myanmar-
India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) will be launched soon.
March 2006

Compiled by: Kriti (BBA-II, IMS, Bikaner)