NEW DELHI, March 12 – India is pushing for opening of a second border trading point through Champai-Rih sector, even as the Government is in the process of setting up a joint trade committee chaired by the respective Ministers of Commerce to promote bilateral trade between India and Myanmar. Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna informed this in the Lok Sabha today.
Expressing India’s keen interest to widen the list of items being traded between the two countries, the minister conceded that existence of only one border trading point is a constraint. Under the Boarder Trade Agreement there is a provision for opening of a second route: Champai (India) and Rih (Myanmar), which is yet to be operationalise. ‘It should be possible to increase the number of items traded even further’, Khanna said. However, Myanmar has indicated that the road on its side is not yet motorable. For promotion of border trade between India and Myanmar, early opening of this route would be helpful. Government of India has taken this up with the Government of Myanmar, he said.
According to the Border Trade Agreement between India and Myanmar signed in January 1994, which became operational from April 1995, only 23 items were initially allowed to be traded. The principal items are agricultural products including soyabin from India and red-kidney beans from Myanmar. Seven more items including wood, bamboo, tomato, sunflower seeds, resin, catechu and betel leaves have been included for border trade vide on March 1, 2002. Currently, border trade between the two countries has been taking place from the trading point of Moreh on the Indian side and Tamu on the Myanmar side.
Meanwhile, in reply to a separate question, the minister said that India-Myanmar-Thailand Transport Linkage Project was on and that of the two task forces set up for implementation of this project, one on technical matters is being chaired by India. The two task forces met last December in Yangon where details on the alignment of the highway, upgradation of the existing roads that would form part of the highway, its physical verification and modalities of funding were discussed.
The Project envisages construction of a highway from Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Bagan in Myanmar. Promotion of a highway from Kanchanaburi in Thailand to Dawei deep seaport in Myanmar and shipping links to seaports in India as part and parcel of one integrated package. The Project is aimed at promoting trade, investment and tourism through facilitation of transit of goods and people across the border.
The Project was given a concrete shape at a Ministerial Meeting last April, which was attended, by Foreign Ministers of India, Myanmar and Thailand on Transport Linkages in Myanmar. The three Foreign Ministers agreed to development transport linkages inter-connecting the three countries, focusing on construction of a highway through Myanmar that would promote trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people interaction.