Myanmar can be link between India, China: PM

Sachin Parashar, TNN | May 31, 2012, 03.01AM IST     

YANGON: Looking to quell speculation about India and China taking their rivalry to gas-rich Myanmar, PM Manmohan Singh said the country was perfectly placed to play the role of an economic bridge between China and India. While Indian officials have often described Myanmar as India's gateway to Asean countries, this is the first time Myanmar has been spoken about by the government as a link between India and China.

While China alone accounts for more than 70% of investments into Myanmar, India stands at the 13th position in terms of its investments into the country. Despite its attempts to play a larger economic role there, India continues to be looked upon as a Johnny-come-lately whose infrastructure projects, including the ambitious Kaladan multimodal transport facility, have hardly taken off. On the other hand, Beijing is even building a gas pipeline from Myanmar to China.

"Myanmar is a critical partner in India's Look East policy and is perfectly situated to play the role of an economic bridge between India and China and between South and South-East Asia," Singh said at a think-tank in Yangon at the end of his visit to Myanmar.

While the focus seemed to have shifted to Indian investments by the private sector with a team of CEOs visiting Myanmar simultaneously, Singh spoke at length about India's government-backed projects, including the much talked about road to Thailand. "We have agreed to cooperate in a number of road building projects. I hope that the very symbolic trilateral highway that will connect India, Myanmar and Thailand can be fully built by 2016," he said.

India is implementing the Kaladan multimodal transport project that involves upgrading the Sittwe port in Myanmar and constructing a highway to connect the town of Paletwa in Chin state to the Indian border in Mizoram state. "This flagship project will revitalize the economy of the area and link it with important commercial and shipping arteries. We hope to complete it by 2015," he said, adding that the trade volume between them too would cross the $3 billion mark by 2015.

During his visit, Singh also visited the Bahadur Shah Zafar Mausoleum, where he donated $100,000 and Shwedagon Pagoda.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Myanmar-can-be-link-between-India-China-PM/articleshow/13680016.cms