India to scale up ties with democratic Myanmar

January 18th, 2012 - 10:01 pm ICT by IANS  

Manmohan Singh New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS) Amid the democratic transition in Myanmar, Foreign Minister U. Wunna Maung Lwin comes to India next week, a visit expected to boost economic and energy ties between the two countries.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will hold discussions with his Myanmar counterpart to scale up trade and investment, collaboration in the area of energy security and infrastructure building.

The two ministers will also review the progress in implementing agreements and initiatives decided upon during the visit of Myanmar President U. Thein Sein to India last year.

U. Wunna Maung Lwin will deliver a lecture at the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) on “Myanmar: A Country in Transition to Democracy.”

Manmohan Singh had announced A $500 million line-of-credit to Myanmar for a slew of development projects, including irrigation.

He had offered help to further strengthen the democratic transition in Myanmar in an inclusive and broadbased manner.

He also expressed readiness to share India’s own experiences in evolving parliamentary rules, procedures and practices.

India is expected to reiterate its support for democratic institution-building in the energy-rich Southeast Asian country.

Last month, a parliamentary delegation from Myanmar visited India to understand the systems in the world’s most populous democracy.

The democratic reforms initiated by the new government in Myanmar has attracted positive global attention, with the West reaching out to a reformist Myanmar in a major way.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton became the first top US diplomat to visit Myanmar last month in over five decades.

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