Thein Sein in India
October 14, 2011
A former general in Myanmar's junta and the country's new president, Thein Sein, has been touring Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India since Wednesday. The President is accompanied by 13 senior colleagues from Myanmar and will hold a series of talks with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.
The discussions are expected to be focused on bilateral, regional and international issues. The countries also expect to sign agreements on science and technology with New Delhi likely to extend a line of credit and assistance to projects in Myanmar.
Thein Sein's visit follows his government's decision to suspend construction of a Chinese-backed 3.6 billion-dollar dam after protests from people living in the area affected by the project. Beijing has expressed its displeasure at the Myanmar government's decision.
However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that India was not in competition with China. There was room for both India and China to grow and "relationships between countries are not a zero-sum game," according to the ministry.
Security and energy issues
India began engaging the Myanmar junta in the mid-1990s on security and energy issues and as a counter to China's growing strategic influence in the Southeast Asian nation, formerly called Burma.
Both countries have placed emphasis on upgrading border roads and maritime transport along the Kaladan River in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. The project involves the Indian Inland Waterways Authority and the ESSAR Projects (India) Company. It is expected to be completed in June 2013, according to the Indian foreign ministry.
India's policy towards Myanmar has invited criticism from the international community. US President Barack Obama, who visited India last year in November, expressed his disapproval with New Delhi for collaborating with the Myanmar junta, which had been accused of severe human rights abuses.
Agencies: AFP, PTI (mg)
Editor: Grahame Lucas