Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached Myanmar on a three-day State visit where he is expected to raise the exodus of the ethnic Rohingyas into neighbouring countries. Modi was welcomed by President Htin Kyaw.
This is Modi’s first tour to Myanmar for bilateral talks, though the PM had in 2015 travelled to the country for India-ASEAN Summit.
“Act East and Neighbourhood First Policy. PM @narendramodi calls on President U Htin Kyaw, discusses steps to deepen historical relationship,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted shortly after the meeting.
Modi’s visit to Myanmar comes amid a spike in ethnic violence concerning Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state.
The burning issue of the Rohingyas, India’s capacity building measures and infrastructure projects are expected to figure during Modi’s discussion with Myanmar’s State Counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi is under mounting international pressure to stop the alleged human rights violations against the Rohingyas, who have been denied citizenship in Myanmar. Thousands of Rohingyas are crossing over into Bangladesh and India to escape from the persecution in Rakhine.
Prior to their departure, Indian officials made it clear that Modi is expected to raise the exodus of the ethnic Rohingyas into neighbouring countries. India is already having nearly 40,000 Rohingyas in various States and the Government has now decided to deport those living in India illegally. The matter is at present before the Supreme Court.
Ahead of his visit, Modi had said India and Myanmar were looking at strengthening existing cooperation in areas of security and counter-terrorism, trade and investment, infrastructure and energy, and culture. India has committed grant-in-aid assistance amounting to Rs 4,000 crore to Myanmar, out of a total commitment of around $1.7 billion.
The projects include the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project connecting Sittwe port in Myanmar with the Northeast Indian State of Mizoram, a trilateral highway connecting Northeastern India with Myanmar and Thailand, and the Rhi-Tiddim road.
In terms of capacity building, New Delhi is assisting the eastern neighbour in setting up institutions of higher learning like the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology, Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education, Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Myanmar-India Centre for English language Training and India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centres. India has also provided humanitarian relief following natural calamities like Cyclone Mora this year, Komen in 2015 and Nargis in 2008 and an earthquake in Shan state in 2010.