Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The President of India Ram Nath Kovind received U Win Myint, the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 27, 2020. He also hosted a banquet in his honour.
Welcoming President Myint on his first ever visit to India, President Kovind said that India attaches highest priority to its partnership with Myanmar. Myanmar stands at the confluence of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East policy’. India-Myanmar partnership is at the heart of India’s vision to create a connected and cooperative neighbourhood, he said.
President Kovind said that a peaceful, united, federal, democratic and prosperous Myanmar is in India’s core national interest. India wishes to expand its partnership with Myanmar in key dimensions like energy, transportation, digital connectivity, tourism, and heritage management. India is ready to provide more assistance, including developing training centres and new socio-economic infrastructure in rural areas, he said.
The President said that India appreciates Myanmar’s assurances that Myanmar would not allow groups that are inimical to India’s interests to operate from its territory. India also appreciates the enhanced coordination and cooperation from the Myanmar Army in maintaining the security of our borders, he said, according to a PIB release.
Subsequently, in his banquet speech, President Kovind said that to foster sustainable peace, we must ensure a peace dividend through prosperity. Connectivity is already expanding through building of roads, use of waterways, upgradation of ports, and increase of bilateral air services. We need to widen such connectivity to include energy as well, he said.