Press Release on the State Visit of U Win Myint, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, to the Republic of India

At the invitation of His Excellency Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of the Republic of India and Shrimati Savita Kovind, the First Lady, His Excellency U Win Myint, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Spouse Daw Cho Cho paid the State Visit to India from 27 to 29 February 2020. The delegation was comprised of Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, Union Minister for Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung, Chief Minister of Rakhine State U Nyi Pu and senior officials from the President Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

The President and party left the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport in the morning of 26 February 2020 by special flight and arrived at the Palam Airforce Base in New Delhi at 13:50 hours local time. They were welcomed by Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Shri Rameshwar Teli, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Myanmar Ambassador to India U Moe Kyaw Aung and wife, Myanmar Military Attaché Brig. Gen. Thein Zaw, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Myanmar diplomatic staffs and family members at the airbase.

In the morning of 27 February 2020, H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India accorded a welcoming ceremony to President Win Myint and Spouse Daw Cho Cho at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. President and party attended the luncheon hosted by H.E. Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, at the Hyderabad House in the afternoon and the State Banquet hosted by H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the evening. The two Presidents delivered speeches and exchanged toasts at the banquet.

President U Win Myint met with H.E. Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, at the Hyderabad House, in the afternoon, and H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, in the evening.

During the meetings, the two leaders cordially exchanged views on matters pertaining to further consolidation of the existing traditional bonds of friendship and intensification of mutually beneficial cooperation in various sectors, including trade, investment, connectivity, energy, agriculture, infrastructure development, human resource development, implementation of ongoing bilateral projects, India’s commitment to continue to provide assistance for the socio-economic development of Rakhine State, India’s continued support to the efforts of Myanmar for peace, national reconciliation, democratization processes, and close collaboration on issues of mutual interest between the two countries in the contexts of regional and multilateral fora, including the United Nations. India’s Prime Minister pledged to make a serious consideration to the request made by the President of Myanmar to increase the importation of pigeon peas, black matpe, and mung beans up to 400, 000 metric tons from Myanmar. India also offered Myanmar to provide with online English proficiency courses for Myanmar youth and technical assistance for holding elections in the country. Earlier in the morning, the President received Indian External Affairs Minister H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar at the Taj Palace Hotel and discussed matters related to the promotion of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

In the evening of 29 February 2020, the President and entourage left Agra for Nay Pyi Taw by a special flight and arrived at the Nay Pyi Taw International Airport at 19:15 hours local time.

During the visit, the President and party visited places of historical, cultural and religious importance, including Mahatma Gandhi Samadhi and Akshardham Hindu Temple in New Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Mahabodhi Temple, the seven sacred places of Lord Buddha, the revered Bodi Tree at Bodh Gaya, and King Mindon’s Stone Inscription and the Archaeological Museum in Gaya. They also visited the Central Cottage Industries Emporium in New Delhi and Kalakriti hand embroidery and stone-inlaid workshop in Agra.

During Myanmar President’s State Visit to India, ten Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreements were signed. They were MoU for Cooperation on Combating Timber Trafficking, and Conservation of Tigers and other Wildlife; Agreement between the Government of Myanmar and the Government of India regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs); Project Agreement between the Rakhine State Government and the Embassy of India for construction of incinerator in Mrauk Oo Township hospital, construction of seed storage houses and water supply systems in Gwa Township under the Rakhine State Development Programme; Project Agreement between the Rakhine State Government and the Embassy of India, Yangon for distribution of electricity by solar power in five townships of Rakhine State under Rakhine State Development Programme; Project Agreement between Rakhine State Government and Embassy of India, Yangon for construction of Kyawlyaung-Ohlyphyu road, construction of Kyaung Taung-Kyau Paung road in Bhuthidaung Township under Rakhine State Development Programme; Project Agreement between Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and Embassy of India, Yangon for construction of pre-schools under Rakhine State Development Programme; MoU between the Department of Medical Research of Myanmar and the Indian Council of Medical Research in the field of Health Research; MoU on Cooperation in the field of Communication; MoU in the field of Petroleum Products; and MoU between the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Government of the Republic of India on Cooperation for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons, Rescues, Recovery, Repatriation and Reintegration of Victims of Trafficking.

A Joint Statement was issued during the President’s State Visit to India. In the statement, both sides agreed to further consolidate the existing bilateral relations, promote multi-faceted bilateral cooperation, boost bilateral trade and economic engagements, enhance collaboration in regional and multilateral arenas on matters of common interest and explore new areas of cooperation on the basis of the synergies between Myanmar’s Independent, Active and Non-Aligned Foreign Policy and India’s ‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. The Indian side reaffirmed its consistent support to the efforts taken by the Government of Myanmar for national reconciliation, peace process and socio-economic development in Rakhine State and the country.

Both sides agreed to work together for the earliest commencement of the construction of the modern Integrated Check Post (Phase-I) at Tamu with the Indian Government’ assistance. They also welcomed the launch of a Coordinated Bus Service between Imphal and Mandalay starting from 7 April 2020. Both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in healthcare sector. The Myanmar side thanked India for offering medical radiation equipment “Bhabhatron-2” for the treatment of cancer patients.

Myanmar also highly valued India’s provision of assistances for its national development through grants and bilateral projects in various fields. Both sides also made a cordial exchange of views on regional and global issues of common interest and agreed to maintain the close cooperation between Myanmar and India in regional and multilateral fora.

The State Visit of the President of Myanmar to India further consolidates the existing cordial ties and long-standing tradition of high-level interaction between the leaders of Myanmar and India. This visit also promotes mutual understanding and trust between the two countries. The ten MoUs and Agreements exchanged and signed during the visit reinforce the synergies and diversify the mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation to the mutual benefit of the two countries and peoples. Therefore, the State Visit of the Myanmar President to India is a significant milestone in the history of bilateral relations and serves as an impetus to accelerate the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nay Pyi Taw

Dated, 1 March 2020