India and Myanmar on Wednesday inked three pacts, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the neighbouring country’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi agreed to step up security cooperation.
India agreed to support Myanmar in creating police training infrastructure and share expertise in developing training manuals, including in forensics and cyber security. Modi and Suu Kyi also agreed to set up immigration facilities at the Tamu-Moreh and Rhi-Zowkhathar border crossing points in Manipur and Mizoram, respectively.
Modi’s meeting with Suu Kyi was followed by signing of an MoU between Financial Regulatory Department of Myanmar and Insurance Institute of India for designing an academic and professional programme for insurance industry of the neighbouring country.
Power sector
Two other MoUs for cooperation in power sector and on banking supervision between Reserve Bank of India and Central Bank of Myanmar were also inked.
“As close and friendly neighbours, the security interests of India and Myanmar are closely aligned. We have agreed that a close coordination to ensure security in the areas along our border, and sensitivity to each other’s strategic interests, will serve the interests of our countries,” Modi said after a meeting with Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi is on her maiden visit to India after she led her party — National League of Democracy — to a landslide victory in November 2015 elections. Though the Nobel laureate holds the office of the foreign minister and state counsellor in the new Government of Myanmar, she is perceived to be the de-facto ruler of her country.
Recalling Gandhi, Nehru
“In our struggle for democracy, we have been helped greatly by the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. The two great leaders of Indian Independence movement have inspired with their vision and with their belief,” Suu Kyi said.
Modi and Suu Kyi reaffirmed their shared commitment to fight insurgent activity and the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They expressed the view that the long-standing commitment not to allow insurgent groups to use their soil for hostile activities against the other side was essential for the prosperity of the people residing along the border.
“We have been trying to bring peace to our country for decades. We hope that time has come for us to be able to say we have made the breakthrough and we are now firmly set on the path to a union, that will be a union which will be just to people,” Suu Kyi said.
“For this too we look up to India with its experience of federalism, to teach us how we bring all our people into the process and to be part of our search for peace, stability and enduring federalism,” she added.
Published 19 October 2016, 20:00 IST