India and Myanmar Ink Various Pacts

India and Myanmar Ink Various Pacts

• India and Myanmar signed 10 agreements with a focus on the socio-economic development of Myanmar, during Myanmar President U Win Myint’s visit to India.
• Myanmar stands at the confluence of India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East Policy and India-Myanmar partnership is at the heart of India’s vision to create a connected and cooperative neighborhood.

Key Points

• Connectivity:
• The two countries will start a coordinated bus service between Manipur’s Imphal and Myanmar’s Mandalay from April 2020.
• India will assist Myanmar in the construction of Integrated Check Point at Tamu, Myanmar, bordering Manipur.
• The two countries signed the Land Border Crossing Agreement in 2018, which allowed bona fide travelers with valid documents to cross the border at two international points of entry/exit- Moreh-Tamu and Zokhawathar-Rih.
• Rakhine State Development Programme:
• More projects will be added to this program.
• India signed a development program for Rakhine State in Myanmar in late 2017 which was designed to assist the Myanmar government in Rakhine State to build housing infrastructure for displaced Rohingyas.
• India had committed $25 million grant assistance to Myanmar and phase-I involved completion of 250 prefabricated houses in Rakhine State.
• Infrastructure Development:
• India will also support the establishment of Myanmar’s diplomatic academy, and extend the National Knowledge Network to Myanmar.
• Both countries have decided to extend the Quick Impact Project schemes to Myanmar.
• Under this, India will take up capacity development work in the form of small projects which yield quick beneficial results for the local people.
• International Cooperation:
• Both sides agreed to work together to promote principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, respect for international law and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) centrality in Indo-Pacific.
• Cooperation under other sectors:
• India will offer medical radiation equipment Bhabhatron II for the treatment of cancer patients and strengthen cooperation in the health sector.
• Both countries agreed to have government-to-government cooperation in petroleum, including in refinery, stockpiling, blending and retail.
• In governance, India will help Myanmar with the project of e-ID cards, which is modeled after the Aadhaar project.
• The two sides showed commitment to continue negotiations on pending treaties like the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the Extradition Treaty.
• An MoU has also been signed on ‘Cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons; Rescue, Recovery, Repatriation, and Re-Integration of Victims of Trafficking’ between the two countries.

Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties

• These are agreements between governments allowing for the exchange of evidence and information in criminal and related matters between the signing countries.

Extradition Treaty

• This is an agreement or arrangement made by India with a Foreign State, relating to the Extradition of fugitive criminals.
• Extradition treaties are traditionally bilateral in character.

Source: Indian Express