MEA Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Myanmar envelops landmark deal enabling ‘legal land border crossing’

Naypyidaw, May 12: MEA Sushma Swaraj’s two-day visit to Myanmar concluded on Friday with a range of bilateral issues discussions and signing seven agreements.

During the visit, Swaraj called on H.E U Win Myint, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and met H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

 

During the bilateral meetings, boundary, and border-related issues, peace & security matters, developments in the Rakhine State, including the return of displaced persons, India’s development assistance to Myanmar, ongoing projects, and other issues of mutual interest were discussed. The Minister also met the Commander in Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, during the visit.

 

Seven Agreements/MOUs were signed during the visit. These included: (i) Agreement on Land Border Crossing, (ii) MoU on Restoration and Preservation of Earthquake Damaged Pagodas in Bagan, (iii) MoU on assistance to the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, (iv) MoU on Training of Myanmar Foreign Service Officers, (v) MoU on Setting up Industrial Training Centre (ITC) at Monywa, (vi) MoU on ITC at Thaton and (vii) Exchange of Letters on extending a maintenance contract for ITC Myingyan.

The Agreement on Land Border Crossing is a landmark in bilateral relations between the two countries as it will enable people from both countries to cross the land border with passport and visa, including for accessing health and education services, pilgrimage and tourism. The MoU on the restoration of pagodas at Bagan underlines the enduring cultural and historical links between the two countries. The other MoUs on technical assistance and capacity building reflect India’s continuing support to Myanmar in accordance with this country’s own development plans and priorities.