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Myanmar crucial in India's ‘Look East Policy’: Singh
Published on Monday, 24 December 2012 17:24
President Thein Sein met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in India
(Photo - The President's Office)
Myanmar plays a critical role in bolstering India's “Look East Policy”, says Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 21 when he met with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein in New Delhi.
India is aware of Myanmar's strategic significance "because of China's increasing economic presence” and the country is anxious about a possible Chinese presence on the Bay of Bengal in the future, Singh said.
Look East Policy, which was initiated in 1991, marked a strategic shift in India’s perspective of the world.
The two leaders met during President Thein Sein's visit to India to attend 20th Asean-India Commemorative Summit.
The summit was held to commemorate twenty years of relations between New Delhi and the ten-member organisation.
During their meeting, the two leaders also talked about bilateral cooperation in energy and trade sectors, and enhancing the transportation links between the two countries, which is expected to give India easier access to Myanmar’s northwestern states.
Thein Sein also met with Indian businessmen and invited them to invest in energy and infrastructure sectors in Myanmar.
India is Myanmar's third-biggest export market after Thailand and China and is fourth largest trading partner of the country after China, Thailand and Singapore.