India sees Imphal-Mandalay bus service to reach SEA
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal
New Delhi, May 12 2014 :
In its endeavour to forge closer connectivity with ASEA Nations, India is looking at a bus service between Imphal and Mandalay (Myanmar) .
Addressing an international conference on cross-border connectivity, Anil Wadhwa Secretary (East) Ministry of External Affairs, said India was looking at long-awaited Imphal -Mandalay Bus Service, for which technical discussion were to begin.
ASEAN heads of Missions, representatives from ASEAN countries, United States, Japan, World Bank, ADB, Ministry officials, Planning Commission and the North Eastern Council attended the conference.
Stressing the need for strengthening of maritime connectivity with Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and calling for an 'open sky policy' on quid pro quo basis to increase trade with ASEAN, Wadhwa said, "We are in the process of finalising the recommendations which our Ministry of Shipping would take forward in their discussions with the ASEAN countries for a Joint Working Group on Maritime Connectivity" .
Significantly, the conference is being held in the backdrop of increasing tension between China and Vietnam over the territorial dispute in the high seas.
Expressing concern over the stand-off, India had asserted that "freedom of navigation in the South China Sea should not be impeded" and called for "cooperation in ensuring security of sea-lanes and strengthening of maritime security" .
Wadhwa also said a free trade agreement (FTA) with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on services and investments would be ready for inking during the meeting of their economic ministers later this year.
An FTA with the ASEAN on trade and goods was inked in 2009."Maritime connectivity can be strengthened further between India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and production chains established from the Mekong region to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the Mumbai-Bengaluru-Chennai Industrial Corridor.
"We have also proposed an Open Sky Policy on Cargo on a quid pro quo basis to the ASEAN.
This would help to increase trade, especially in perishable commodities," he said.
The Secretary also referred to various initiatives to open land routes to Myanmar and South-East Asia, including the Trilateral Highway Project (India-Myanmar-Thailand), the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project and the Rhi Tiddim Road Project.
These projects are aimed at enhancing cross-border trade, tourism, people-to-people contacts and economic development of areas on both sides of the border.
"Under the East Asia Summit, negotiations are progressing towards the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Trade volumes between ASEAN and India, ASEAN and Japan, Japan and India, and India and the US have been seeing incremental increase," he added.