Senior General Than Shwe, head of the Myanmar regime, arrived in New Delhi today to start a visit that marks a high point in India’s decade-long effort to politically engage Yangon’s military rulers.With a surge in North-East insurgency, New Delhi has its hopes pinned on Than Shwe’s visit, seen as an opening for greater cooperation in uprooting N-E insurgent camps from Myanmar territory. In the fair distance that the two countries have covered in the past decade, India has been able to draw Yangon’s attention to the presence of these camps. Myanmar also initiated action against these camps three years ago when Lt Gen Soe Win, appointed Prime Minister after the ouster last week of Khin Nyunt, was military commander in-charge of the area along the Indo-Myanmar border. Key to India’s efforts for more cooperation has been increasing the stakes for Myanmar by strengthening economic relationship. In recent years, New Delhi has tried to do so by viewing Yangon as the gateway to ASEAN and making it part of the Bay of Bengal economic community through the BIMSTEC. With investments and assistance to develop road links, ports and hydel power projects, sources said, New Delhi has gradually increased the stakes for Yangon to address Indian concerns. Otherwise, the border with India is considered relatively quiet from the Myanmar standpoint. Yangon has been more concerned about stabilising the areas bordering Thailand on its east and is constantly on the edge while handling its delicate understanding with groups active along the Sino-Myanmar border with whom the military has ceasefire agreements. The relatively thin deployment of Myanmar forces along the India border is complicated by the fact that North-East insurgent camps are well-equipped with trained cadres, in some cases better than Myanmar’s military. In this context, both India and Myanmar have tried to strengthen Defence cooperation with New Delhi providing assistance whenever required. But it is the gains made on the economic front that South Block officials believe will translate into greater cooperation on tackling N-E insurgents. India is today Yangon’s second largest export market ($325 million) after Thailand, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of its total exports. Both countries have agreed to work towards increasing bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2006 while expanding cooperation in core infrastructure areas. An agreement on the Tamanthi Hydel Project is among the three documents that will be signed during Than Shwe’s visit. India has recently agreed to extend a $50 million credit line to Myanmar to upgrade its railway network. A feasibility study to have a multi-modal transport system that will provide a link-up to North-East via Myanmar has also been carried out by India and is expected to be taken up during talks with the Myanmar delegation. Than Shwe is accompanied by Foreign Minister Nyan Win and seven other ministers including those of industry, energy, rail transport and health. Apart from arranging a Buddhist pilgrimage for Than Shwe, New Delhi has also honoured his special request to visit Infosys and HAL at Bangalore during his five-day visit. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday. The Foreign ministers of the two countries will sign, among other pacts, a counter-terrorism agreement that will also address non-traditional security issues like narcotics and other smuggling activities.
