By IANS
New Delhi : India Tuesday said it will continue supporting development projects in Myanamar, but cautiously underlined the need for stability and inclusive political reforms in the military ruled country that acts as a gateway to Southeast Asia.
“India is committed to extend assistance to Myanmar on various developmental projects of mutual benefit, including the Kaladan multi-modal transport project,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement after talks between Myanmar’s Deputy Foreign Minister U. Kyaw Thu and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.
Myanmar’s minister also called on External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and updated him about the evolving political situation in Myanmar, which was rocked by massive pro-democracy protests, led by monks, nearly three months ago.
“The discussions covered all areas of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international issues, and were marked by the friendship and cordiality that mark relations between India and Myanmar as close neighbours,” the statement said.
A memorandum of understanding for the establishment of the India-Myanmar Centre for enhancement of information technology skills at Yangon, to be built with the Indian assistance, will be signed by the two sides Wednesday.
India reiterated its position on the need for broad-based and inclusive political reforms and pushing the process of national reconciliation in Myanmar, official sources said.
India is engaged in the construction of key transportation projects in Myanmar, including the Kaladan project, which will provide much-needed transit access between the northeastern states and the rest of Southeast Asia.
The two countries have quietly finalised $100 million Kaladan link project, which is expected to link Sittwe port in Myanmar via Paletwa to Mizoram in India by road and inland water. The project is expected to be completed by 2010.
India was guarded in its response to the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar in September and was criticised for its extremely circumspect attitude to the situation in Myanmar by some Western countries.
The US and the European Union had urged India, China and Russia, the three big Asian countries with substantial stakes in Myanmar, to use their influence with the junta to nudge it towards real political reforms.
Even as India has sought to do a tightrope walk on its diplomatic response to the Myanmar crisis, it has made it clear that there are real economic and strategic imperatives that have necessitated its continuing engagement with the junta, as the military rulers are known.
India’s substantial stakes in Myanmar’s oil and gas sector and China’s increasing influence in the southeast country have been two principal reasons driving India’s policy towards its neighbour.
Besides, India needs the junta’s help to control anti-India insurgent groups which have infiltrated from its northeastern states like Nagaland into the neighbouring country. This explains New Delhi’s hesitation in supporting the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar with which it shares a border of more than 1,600 km.
Bilateral trade between the two sides is estimated to be around $1 billion.