India hands over 3000 vials of Remdesivir to Myanmar to help fight COVID-19

Army Chief Gen. M M Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on October 5, 2020, provided 3000 vials of Remdesivir to Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in order to help the friendly neighbour in its fight against the Coronavirus.

Gen. Naravane and Shringla are in Myanmar for a two-day visit which aims to further expand ties in a range of areas including defence, connectivity, and security. As per the Indian embassy, the Foreign Secretary and the Indian Army Chief along with an ambassador of India to Myanmar, Saurabh Kumar, called on Suu Kyi at Naypyitaw during which they discussed significant bilateral issues.

🇮🇳 India Myanmar 🇲🇲
As part of India's contribution to help a friendly neighbour Myanmar fight against COVID-19, Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla & COAS handed over 3000 vials of #Remdesivir to State Counsellor H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi @MOFAMyanmar @ambsaurabhkumar@MyanmarSC pic.twitter.com/KyLS9mx9Hz

— India in Myanmar (@IndiainMyanmar) October 5, 2020

Key Highlights:

• The visit by the officials is significant as it comes in the midst of the Indian army’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh as well as restrictions on foreign visits due to pandemic.

• Visit to Myanmar is Naravane’s first one to any foreign country after he took charge as the Chief of Army Staff on December 31, 2019.

• The visit by Shringla and Naravane came after four days after both the countries carried outa detailed review of their ties in a wide range of areas at a virtual meeting which was held under a framework of India-Myanmar Foreign Office consultation.

🇮🇳 India Myanmar 🇲🇲
Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane and @harshvshringla, Foreign Secretary along with @AmbSaurabhKumar called on State Counsellor H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi @MyanmarSC at @MOFAMyanmar NayPyiTaw today. Read more at @MOFAMyanmar 👇🏽https://t.co/Kg1YrgkIhX… pic.twitter.com/Fb8ephvxFT

— India in Myanmar (@IndiainMyanmar) October 5, 2020

India-Myanmar relations: A Glimpse

• Myanmar is one of India’s strategic neighbours. It shares a 1,640 km long border with a number of northeastern states including Manipur and Nagaland.

• India and Myanmar have been working towards operationalizing the Sittwe Port by the first quarter of 2021. It will connect India’s landlocked northeastern region with the Bay of Bengal through Mizoram.

• The tendering process for 69 bridges proposed under the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway will also begin soon.

• The two countries have also significantly ramped up defence and security cooperation in the last few years including in the maritime security sphere.

• India has also been assisting Myanmar in developing border areas under an agreement in 2012 that provided for granting $5 million each year over a period of 5 years. The MoU has already been extended till 2022.

• The development cooperation by India in Myanmar is estimated at $1.4 billion. The two nations have also been expanding the partnership in the area of energy cooperation.

• Myanmar has the highest Indian investment of over $1.2 billion in any country in South Asia.

• India has also recently approved an investment of over $120 million in the Shwe Oil and Gas Project.