Ambassador’s Speeches
Cultural Performance on the occasion of 79th Independence Day of India
Cultural Performance on the occasion of 79th Independence Day of India
by ICCR’s Purulia Chhau Dance Troupe
(12 August 2025, Myawaddy Media Centre, Yangon)
Speech by Ambassador Abhay Thakur
H.E. U Tin Aung San, Union Minister (1) for the Office of President and National Security Advisor of Myanmar, and Madam,
Hon’ble Ministers,
Ambassadors and Heads of Mission,
Members of the Indian diaspora,
Distinguished Guests,
Friends,
Namaste! Good evening! Mingalaba!
It is a great pleasure for Surabhi and me to welcome all the distinguished guests to this cultural evening, organized by the Swami Vivekanand Cultural Centre of the Embassy of India, in association with the Myanmar-India Friendship & Development Association, as part of our 79th Independence Day celebrations.
We have gathered here to see one of the India’s famous folk-art traditions, the “Purulia Chhau”. This vibrant dance form is a unique blend of martial arts, storytelling, and cultural heritage, passed down through generations of Purulia district of West Bengal in India. This dance, with its energetic movements and colorful costumes, is a celebration of tradition, bringing lives to the tales of the ancient epics of Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In addition, our own Cultural Centre has also prepared performances for this evening, curated by its dance and music teachers from India, together with their students from Myanmar.
Distinguished Guests,
Today is an occasion to recall some of the significant moments in India–Myanmar ties. It was almost exactly seven years ago, in August 2018, when the landmark India–Myanmar Land Border Crossing Agreement came into effect, opening the international entry/exit check points at Tamu-Moreh and Rikhawdar-Zowkhawtar. It paved the way for closer cross-border trade and people-to-people ties. I am happy that in the same, continuing spirit of cross-border cooperation, we signed 36 out of 45 boundary maps of our 1643 km long border last month at plenipotentiary level. We are also prioritizing our connectivity projects - the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway – which would stand as symbols of bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
Our economic ties continue to grow. In the last financial year 2024-25, trade between our countries registered an impressive 23.5% increase to reach USD 2.15 billion, with a promising outlook for the years ahead. We also remain fully committed to preserving and promoting our shared civilizational and Buddhist connections. The Archaeological Survey of India is currently engaged in the restoration of nearly 50 earthquake-damaged pagodas in the ancient city of Bagan.
India has stood by Myanmar through thick and thin, in solidarity in times of adversity. As a first responder to natural disasters in the region, we have extended a helping hand to Myanmar, including during cyclones, floods and the Covid-19 pandemic. Operation Brahma, in response to the devastating earthquake in March this year, that struck Mandalay, Sagaing and Naypyitaw hard, was India’s largest-ever HADR operation in the region. We delivered nearly 1,000 tonnes of relief material, deployed an 80-member Search & Rescue team and set up a field hospital with 120 medical personnel that treated over 2500 patients.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, I thank our esteemed Chief Guest His Excellency U Tin Aung San and his gracious wife, and all the distinguished guests for joining us today. I also thank the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi, for sending the Purulia Chhau troupe to Myanmar, as well as all the members of the troupe and the Bharatnatyam and Hindustani classical music teachers of our own Cultural Centre and their students, for helping us make this evening colorful and enjoyable.
Thank you.
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