Exchange of High Level visits
INDIA-MYANMAR RELATIONS
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 relations have stood the test of time. The geographical proximity of the two countries has helped develop and sustain cordial relations and facilitated people-to-people contact. India and Myanmar share a long land border 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 relations have stood the test of time. India and Myanmar signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1951. The visit of the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 laid the foundations for a stronger relationship between India and Myanmar.
A number of agreements enhancing bilateral Cooperation have been signed between the two countries. Institutional mechanisms for facilitating regular dialogue on a range of issues of bilateral interest have also been established. Indian Consulate General in Mandalay was re-opened in 2002 and the Consulate General of Myanmar was set up in Kolkata. India has been responsive to the needs of friendly people of Myanmar and has been providing relief materials and assistance. India also provided assistance of US $1 million for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation in the areas affected by the severe earthquake in Shan State in March 2011. India also provided assistance of US$ 1.2 million to the communal riot affected people of Rakhine State.
Exhange of High Level Visits
High level visits have been a regular feature of India-Myanmar relations for several years. President U Thein Sein paid a State visit to India on October 12-15, 2011. The visit represented the first State visit from Myanmar to India following the swearing in of a new Government in Myanmar in March 2011. President Thein Sein had a meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, which was followed by delegation level talks. During the visit, MoU for the Upgradation of the Yangon Children's Hospital and Sittwe General Hospital; and the Programme of Cooperation in Science & Technology for the period of 2012-2015. President Thein Sein attended the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in December 2012 in Delhi and also visited Mumbai and Ratnagiri.
Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann led a high level parliamentary delegation to India from December 11-17, 2011. During the visit, Speaker Mann met our Parliamentary Speakers and wide spectrum of Indian leadership where it shared India's experience in parliamentary practices and procedures with the visiting Myanmar delegation. Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw H E U Khin Aung Myint also visited India on 2-6 December, 2013.
Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin paid an official visit to India from January 22-26, 2012. During which he called on Prime Minister and held bilateral discussions with EAM. He delivered a lecture at the Indian Council for World Affairs on the topic "Myanmar :A Country in Transition to Democracy". He again visited India in March 2014 to attend Delhi Dialogue VI.
Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh paid a state visit to Myanmar from May 27-29 2012. During the visit, several new initiatives were announced and signed 12 MoUs and agreements including extension of a new line of credit (LOC) for US$500 million to Myanmar, support for setting up an Advance Centre for Agriculture Research and Education in Yezin, a Rice Bio-park in the integrated Demonstration Park in Nay Pyi Taw, and an Information Technology Institute in Mandalay. In addition important agreements such as Air Service Agreement, Establishment of Joint Trade and Investment Forum, MoU on Border Areas Development, and establishment of Border Haats and Cultural Exchange Programme were signed. Prime Minister again paid a 2-day official visit to NayPyiTaw from 3-4 March, 2014 to attend 3rd BIMSTEC Summit. On the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, the Prime Minister had bilateral meetings with Presidents of Myanmar and Sri Lanka, Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan and also Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Prime Minister also witnessed the signing ceremony of there MoUs/MoAs on (i) establishment of BIMSTEC Secretariat at Dhaka, (ii) establishement of a BIMSTEC Centre on Weather and Climate in India and (iii) establishment of a BIMSTEC Cultural Observatory in Bhutan.
External Affairs Minister(EAM) Shri Salman Khurshid paid an official visit to Myanmar from 14-16 December 2012. During the visit, he called on the President and had detailed discussions with Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin. EAM and Vice President Dr. Sai Mauk Kham inaugurated the “International Conference on Buddhist Cultural Heritage” jointly organized by ICCR and Sitagu International Buddhist Academy. EAM along with Minister of Religious Affairs unveiled the Sarnath Style Buddha Statue donated by GOI to people of Myanmar and installed at the Shwedagon Pagoda. He also inaugurated the Photo Exhibition on Buddhist Cultural Heritage organized by Embassy of India at Shwedagon Pagoda premises.
Raksha Mantri led a high level delegation to Myanmar comprising of Defence Secretary, Vice Chief of Naval Staff and GOC Eastern Command from 21-22 January 2013. During the visit, RM called on President U Thein Sein and had detailed discussions for bilateral cooperation in defence with C-in-C Vice Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Wai Lwin. Chief of Army Staff(COAS) General Bikram Singh visited Myanmar from 29-10-2024 to 02-11-2013. Myanmar Vice Senior General Soe Win, Dy C-in-C(Army) visited India from 11-16 December, 2013.
Speaker of Lok Sabha Smt Meira Kumar paid an official visit with Indian Parliamentary delegation to Myanmar from 12 to 15 February 2013. During the visit, she met both the Speakers of Myanmar Parliament and had a detailed discussion with Speaker of Pyithu Hlutaw Thura U Shwe Mann. The India delegation also met with a representative group of MPs drawn from different regions and states of Myanmar.
Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles Shri Anand Sharma visited Myanmar from 05 to 09 June, 2013 to participate in World Economic Forum on East Asia 2013. During the visit, he called on President and met Minister of Energy U Than Htay and Minister of Communications & IT U Myat Hein. He also met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Chairperson, National League for Democracy. CITM along with Minister of Commerce U Win Myint jointly addressed the 1st Joint Trade and Investment Forum in Yangon.
