Myanmar's Self-goal
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February
Up one levelRs 200 cr marked for devpt of NE trade points
New Delhi, Jan 31: Giving impetus to its "Look East Policy", the Government has sanctioned a Rs 200-crore project for developing infrastructure at four international trade points in the northeastern region.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu receives the Gandhi Peace Prize
February 1, 2007: NEW DELHI: South African leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu receives the Gandhi Peace Prize from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at a function in New Delhi on Wednesday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh watches.
Tutu seeks India's help for Suu Kyi's release
February 1, 2007: South Africa's Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu has urged India to help secure the release of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He dedicated the Gandhi Peace Prize conferred on him on Wednesday to the 'Light of Asia.'
India to get transit rights of Myanmar port
February 2, 2007: NEW DELHI: With an uncooperative Bangladesh showing no signs of allowing access to Chittagong port and transit right through the country, India has finalised plans to bypass it and seek outlet through Akyab Port in Myanmar.
Burmese Air Chief invited to international seminar
February 1, 2007: The Indian Air Force has invited air force chiefs of 37 nations, including Myanmar's Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lt-Gen Myat Hein to participate in a two-day international seminar in New Delhi, as part of its platinum jubilee celebrations.
Burma seeks to pay in Indian currency
February 1, 2007:India is yet to decide on Burma's proposal for rupee payment terms for petroleum products the Southeast Asian country imports.
Desmond Tutu advocates freedom for Tibet
New Delhi, 31st January: Nobel laureate and South African anti-apartheid struggle hero Desmond Tutu today caught the Indian leadership unaware by strongly advocating independence for Tibet soon after receiving the coveted Gandhi Peace Prize.
Indo-Burma Kaladan project to start soon
February 2, 2007: Work on the Kaladan multi-modal transport project will get off the ground soon, the Chief Secretary of Mizoram said yesterday.
border Joint Demarcation Continues
February 2, 2007: A joint border demarcation exercise between Burma and India that started on 30 January is still continuing, reports a border source.
Look at northeast before looking east: Ramesh
February 2, 2007: New Delhi: Poor infrastructure in India's northeast is a 'matter of shame', according to Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, who has stressed the need to develop the region before implementing the country's Look East Policy.
India to develop Myanmar's Sittwe port to benefit northeast
February 3, 2007: India is contemplating a move aimed at helping develop Myanmar's Sittwe port at a cost of USD 103 million to give its land-locked northeastern states access to the sea for trade and commerce.
Hope floats for Mizo waterway
February 2, 2007: Aizawl: Mizoram chief secretary Haukhum Hauzel said today that the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transport Project will be implemented soon.
Dhaka may downgrade Delhi in 3-nation project
February 2, 2007: NEW DELHI: In what may deal a major diplomatic blow to the government, Bangladesh is considering a dilution of India’s status in the tri-nation Myanmar-Bangladesh-India gas pipeline project to that of a mere buyer from that of a strategic partner as envisaged earlier.
Jairam for more trade at Northeast borders
February 3, 2007: New Delhi:In furtherance of the UPA government’s “Look East Policy”, four new Land Customs Stations (LCS) will come up in the Northeastern region at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore for promoting trade with bordering countries including Myanmar, China and Bangladesh.
India to ask Myanmar for crackdown on ULFA
February 11, 2007: New Delhi, India will make fresh demand to Myanmar for a Bhutan Army-type operation against ULFA and other northeastern insurgent groups.
India loans Burma $10 million for Kaladan project
February 2, 2007: India has extended to Burma a soft loan of 10 million US dollars at an annual interest of 2.5 percent to cover the expenses of its share of the Kaladan multi-modal transport project connecting its Sittwe and Kaletwa ports with Mizoram.
Home Secretary V K Duggal to visit Myanmar from Feb 13
February 06, 2007: New Delhi, A high-level Indian delegation would visit Myanmar from February 13 to discuss bilateral issues of security, border management and drug trafficking with the neighbouring state.
New Delhi Lends Burma Money for Joint Venture
February 09, 2007: India says it will in effect go ahead alone to develop transport infrastructure links between its isolated northeast states and the Burmese port of Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal.
Face Myanmar to fix militants
February 5,2007: WITH the Army crackdown on the United Liberation Front of Asom being stepped up, the government of India has shifted focus to Myanmar (and also Bangladesh). North-east militants are known to have training camps and hideouts there, especially the jungles of northern Myanmar, from where they mount offensives on Indian soil. India and Myanmar share a 1,640-km porous border through which armed cadres sneak in and out of that country.
Burmese fishermen stranded in Chennai
February 5, 2007: A Chennai based NGO, 'Overseas Indians Organisation' (OIO) has informed the Myanmar Embassy in New Delhi about the plight of four Burmese fishermen who drifted onto the shores of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.
India for renewed Myanmar offensive against northeast rebels
February 12, 2007: New Delhi, India will press for renewed measures to flush out northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar at the home secretary-level talks between the two countries beginning in Yangon Tuesday.
Myanmar visit to rein in Ulfa
February 3, 2007: New Delhi: A high-level Indian delegation led by Union home secretary V.K. Duggal will visit Myanmar on February 13 to find solutions to the difficulties in starting operations against Ulfa camps located in Sagiang division of Myanmar.
NE militants: Myanmar fails to sustain action
GUWAHATI, Feb 7 – Though India’s relations with Myanmar have improved considerably over the years, the Government of the neighbouring country has not been able to launch sustained operations against the militant groups of the North East states camping in the territory of the country.
Govt to spend $100 million on linking Mizoram-Myanmar
February 4, 2007NEW DELHI: “The multi-modal project will include shipping, riverine and road transport” As part of its efforts to form strategic alliances in the subcontinent, the government is planning to undertake a multimodal transport project from Mizoram to Myanmar.
India to make fresh demand for crackdown
February 6, 2007: NEW DELHI: With spurt in ULFA violence, India will make a fresh demand to Myanmar for crackdown on Northeast Indian insurgent groups operating from that country during the upcoming visit of Union Home Secretary V K Duggal to Yangon. Issues like drug trafficking and effective border management will also be high on the agenda during Duggal’s visit from February 13 to 17, sources in the MHA today said.
New Delhi and Myanmar: Nascent Friendship
Several new developments point to the fact that New Delhi is undeterred by any pressures from the western world and has followed an independent foreign policy, driven more by realpolitik and less by the moral high ground of democracy, to engage the military regime in Myanmar. New Delhi has thus made great friends in Myanmar.
Detained Burmese rebel hospitalized in Kolkata
February 5, 2007 - An ethnic Arakanese rebel from Burma , one among 34 Burmese detained in Presidency jail in Kolkata, was admitted to a hospital outside the prison yesterday, sources close to the prisoners told Mizzima.
India's Home Secretary to take up ULFA issue with Burma
February 8, 2007: India's Home Secretary V K Duggal will be going on a five day visit to Burma beginning February 13, according to sources in the Home Ministry.
India, Myanmar set $1 bn trade target in 2006-07
February 15, 2007: KOLKATA, India and Myanmar have set a $1 bn bilateral trade target in 2006-07, up from $557 million in 2004-05. To shore up bilateral trade, both countries are looking at cooperation in a host of areas, including agriculture, IT, automobiles, textiles, telecommunications and oil & gas.
Little hope rests on Burma against Indian rebels
February 12, 2007: India will press Burma to launch a major offensive against Indian insurgents from the Northeast who have set up camps there. A strong request to this effect will be made by Mr. V.K.Duggal, Union Home Secretary, when he visits Rangoon from February 13 to 17.
ULFA: India to seek Myanmar help
February 6, 2007: New Delhi, India is expected to again raise concerns over reports of rebel groups from the North-East operating from Myanmar when Union Secretaries of the two countries meet at Yangoon next week.
India's China, Burma policy and the spurned Gandhian values
February 11, 2007: I was at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan where Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu was given the Gandhi Peace Prize.
India to ask Myanmar for Bhutan-type crackdown on ULFA
February 11, 2007: New Delhi, A fresh demand for a Bhutan Army-type operation against ULFA and other northeastern insurgent groups will be made to Myanmar during the upcoming visit of Union Home Secretary V K Duggal to Yangon.
Lloyd’s List: India is set to clinch Myanmar gas pipeline link
February 8, 2007: India is aiming to secure a deal with Myanmar to build a 1,500 km gas pipeline from the Burmese coast to its northeastern states, writes Shirish Nadkarni in Mumbai.
Abandoned Burmese Political Prisoners In the Land of Gandhi
February 15, 2007: Call him Basu. Years ago, he worked for an Indian intelligence agency. His job: to fill an intelligence gap related to a group of religious fundamentalists active against the state. In order to successfully fulfill his mission he would need to infiltrate the deepest depths of the fundamentalist outfit.
India, Myanmar to discuss insurgency, drug trafficking
February 12, 2007: NEW DELHI, India is likely to make a fresh demand to Myanmar for action against its insurgent groups operating from there.
Myanmar, India hold discussions on border security
February 15, 2007: Myanmar and India held discussions at deputy minister level on the two countries' border security affairs in the new administrative capital of Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday, the state-run Myanmar Radio and Television said in a night broadcast.
India defeats Myanmar in Oly qualifier
February 14, 2007: CALCUTTA, India (AP) - India advanced to the second round of Asia's soccer qualifying competition for the Olympic Games, overcoming Myanmar in a tiebreaker Wednesday.
Militancy, drug menace to top agenda
February 13, 2007: GUWAHATI, Insurgency and drug trafficking will be two of the major issues to be discussed in detail during the India-Myanmar talks, which started in Myanmar today. A high level team of the Government of India headed by the Union Home Secretary left New Delhi this morning to take part in the meeting.
Four Country Car Rally in Burma
Burmese authorities are currently preparing the necessary steps to hold a planned car rally with its four neighboring countries during 2007, according to a report of a Burmese official.
KoPT eyes 55 mn tonne cargo handling in 2006-07
February 15, 2007: KOLKATA: The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) has said it is looking to handle 55 million tonnes of cargo during the current fiscal.
Fillip for Moreh trade
February 17: Imphal, The Singapore-based Asian Clearing Unit (ACU) is informed to have approved ‘euro’ instead of letter of credit (LoC) system for border trade between India and Myanmar.
NSCN(K) confirms Myanmar army action
February 16, 2007: NEW DELHI, Battle-wary NSCN (Khaplang) today said they were preparing for a drawn battle against Myanmar Army that has left over 10 of cadres dead in recent clashes.
Burma 'to fight India militants'
Burma will launch military operations soon against Indian separatists based in the country's western Sagaing Division, Indian officials say.
Myanmar keen on longer route for gas pipeline
February 15, 2007: Myanmar is eager to have the natural gas pipeline to India laid along the route through north-east India bypassing Bangladesh so that Yangon can forge closer economic and defence ties with Delhi.
Myanmar wants pipeline through NE
February 16, 2007: Kolkata, Myanmar is eager to have the natural gas pipeline to India laid along the longer route, through north-east bypassing Bangladesh. This, according to a Myanmar diplomat, would help Yangon forge closer economic and defence ties with New
N-E states seek third trade point at Pangasu Pass in Mizoram
February 19, 2007: KOLKATA: The north-eastern states are pitching for another trade point at Pangsau Pass in Mizoram to increase the volume of trade with Myanmar. “India, Myanmar may end this year with $650m trade against a target of $1bn”
India May Use Myanmar To Enter Asean Market
February 17, 2007: NEW DELHI, (Bernama) - India could use Myanmar, the only Asean country sharing its border, as an entry point for pushing its products into the single Asean market said U Soe Paing, Consul General of the Consulate General of Union of Myanmar.
India finalizes plan to invest in Myanmar port
February 17, 2007: New Delhi has plans to start direct trade between its north-eastern states and South Asian countries through Sittwe Port in Myanmar bypassing Bangladesh.
14 Myanmar nationals arrested in Kashmir
February 20, 2007: Jammu: The Border Security Force (BSF) troops foiled an exfiltration bid by arresting 14 Myanmar nationals along the India-Pakistan border in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here on Monday.
US Concerned over Increasing Indo-Burmese Military Ties
February 19, 2007: The increase in military relationship between India and Burma in recent years does not seem to have gone down well with the Bush Administration, which would like to see India encourage more human rights reforms.
Indo-Burma trade to be conducted in Euro
February 19, 2007: Indo-Burmese border trade is likely to be conducted in 'Euro,' the currency of the European Union. The idea was mooted at a conference on 'India-Myanmar Trade & Commerce: Challenges & Prospects,' on February 15 in Kolkata.
New Delhi focuses on Sittwe port
February 21, 2007: India has proposed to develop a Burmese seaport in the Bay of Bengal to facilitate its landlocked northeastern part an access to the commercial sea routes.
Myanmar, India to launch joint action
February 20, 2007: Guwahati, The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and other Northeast-based militant groups may soon face major problems as the Government of Myanmar has agreed to launch joint offensive with the Indian Army against the militants using the territory of the country as safe haven.
Burma captures Indian rebel base
February 22, 2007: Troops in western Burma have captured a base used by separatists from neighbouring India after a week of fighting, a rebel spokesman has said.
Cabinet approves tax avoidance treaty with Myanmar
February 22, 2007: New Delhi, (PTI): The Union Cabinet today approved signing of an agreement with Myanmar for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
India and Burma: Such Good Friends
February 28, 2007D: riven by the growing need for energy, both India and China are throwing money and development projects at Burma’s junta
Burma to participate in Guwahati trade fair
February 26, 2007: A 40-member Burmese business delegation will participate in the Guwahati Trade Fair early next month.
Burmese trade delegation tours Indian states
February 28, 2007: A 34-member trade delegation from Burma, including officials of its union, has begun a tour of Indian states. They arrived in Imphal, capital of the Indian state of Manipur bordering Burma on Wednesday morning.
Assistance for Myanmar doubled
March 1, 2007: NEW DELHI: India has nearly doubled its development aid to Myanmar — from Rs. 44.57 crore in 2006-07 to Rs. 80.41 crore in 2007-08 — budget papers presented by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram say