Embassy of IndiaYangon, Myanmar

Speech by Ambassador Abhay Thakur

at the celebrations of the 62^nd  ITEC Day

(Naypyitaw, 19 September 2025)

His Excellency U Nyo Saw, Prime Minister of the Republic of Union of Myanmar and Daw San San Aye,

H.E. U Than Swe, Minister of Foreign Affairs,

H.E. Dr. Wah Wah Maung, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations,

H.E. U Ko Ko Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Madam,

H.E. U Naing Min Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Madam,

Major General Khine Lin, Vice Chief of Military Security Affairs and Madam,

Permanent Secretaries, Ambassadors, Directors General and Senior Officials,

Deputy Chief of Mission and my colleagues from the Embassy,

Heads and Members of Indian community, friendship and business organizations,

Distinguished guests,

ITEC alumni and beneficiaries,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a singular honour for Surabhi and me to host this special evening today for our distinguished guests and friends of India to celebrate the 62^nd ITEC day. I thank Hon’ble Prime Minister of the Republic of Union of Myanmar, His Excellency U Nyo Saw, Hon’ble Ministers, Hon’ble Deputy Ministers, all the high officials, and over 200 ITEC beneficiaries from Myanmar for joining us today. Today is yet another expression of the readiness of both India and Myanmar to work closely with each other for successfully executing ITEC, India’s flagship programme of human resource and capacity building designed to benefit our friends across the Global South. Today, I also recall the participation by H.E. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, then Prime Minister and now Acting President, at our 60^th anniversary ITEC Day celebrations last year, which encouraged us a lot.

Excellencies, Distinguished guests,

On this occasion, allow me to dwell upon the basic tenets of India’s foreign policy matrix, of which Myanmar is a key element. First and foremost, at the heart of India’s developmental cooperation with the Global South, including Myanmar, lies a people-centric approach and a deep commitment to human resources development. I recall the age-old Sanskrit shloka from the Maha Upnishad :

अयं बन्धुरयं नेति गणना लघुचेतसां |
उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकं ||

which means

“Narrow-minded people think that one is my friend and the other is my enemy. In contrast, the noble-hearted among us believe that the entire world is one family.”

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam remains the guiding principle of India’s foreign policy to this day. Secondly, Myanmar lies at the confluence of India’s three key foreign policy priorities – Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) with the Indo-Pacific as one aspect of MAHASAGAR. Thirdly, our ties with Myanmar are age-old and multi-faceted, based on fraternal bonds at the people-to-people level and institutional and cultural linkages. Underpinned by these fundamental considerations, India’s developmental partnership with Myanmar is based on true friendship and driven by the needs and priorities of Myanmar, and no other motive. In this spirit, a diverse range of developmental initiatives and programmes including ITEC, have been undertaken by India across Myanmar.

The ITEC program was initiated in Myanmar in 1996 with 30 slots, which have increased steadily to the current level of 700 slots offered annually, of which nearly 500 slots are actually being utilized and growing year by year. Capacity building assistance to Myanmar has also been extended under platforms other than ITEC, such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC). Since 2014, over 4500 professionals from Myanmar have availed of short-term specialized capacity building training programmes under ITEC. Some of the more popular ITEC courses in Myanmar have been Proficiency Courses in English Language, Leadership for 21st Century Professionals, Public Policy and Administration, Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management and Data Analytics.

In addition to short-term training under ITEC, India is also an increasingly attractive destination for Myanmar students for pursuing graduate, post graduate and doctoral degree courses. Over 500 Myanmar students are enrolling in various Indian universities annually, of which 10-15% are benefiting from Government of India scholarships extended under various education schemes administered under ICCR and Study-in-India programmes, Nalanda University etc. A large number of the remaining Myanmar students are also availing of scholarships from both public and private universities.

Excellencies, Distinguished guests,

Speaking about connectivity, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) and the Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway are our major ongoing connectivity projects. After their high-level review within the Government of India in July 2025, their target completion has been set as December 2027 for the entire Kaladan road project, and as July 2026 for the Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the IMT trilateral highway project. I look forward to the full support of the esteemed Government of Myanmar to ensure that these significant projects are actually completed, operationalized and handed over to the Government of Myanmar as per their scheduled timelines, which will go a long way in elevating our cooperation to even higher levels.

As a testament to Government of India's enduring commitment to long term preservation of Myanmar's invaluable religious heritage, as well as strengthen the age-old cultural and spiritual bonds between the people of India and Myanmar, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is conserving and restoring 72 earthquake-affected pagodas in Bagan over a 10-year period in three phases. Phase I of the project was completed in December 2024, when 11 pagodas (22 works) were completed and handed over to Myanmar authorities in Bagan. A 4-member ASI team, tasked to undertake the Phase II of the the structural conservation, chemical preservation and restoration works, comprising approximately 50 earthquake-affected Pagodas, has now commenced its work in Bagan this month.

In the area of Small Development Projects, Industrial Training Centres, High Impact Community Development Projects and Quick Impact Projects, what makes our development partnership with Myanmar stand out is its community-first model, infrastructure built by local labour, restoration led by artisans, implementation managed by village committees and, wherever possible, materials sourced from nearby markets, quarries, and workshops. This approach creates not just assets, but local ownership, income, and pride. In one such project in Sagaing, the local project coordinator noted “This is more than just aid—it’s empowerment” and that “Each initiative is shaped by local needs and built by local hands.”

Friends,

In conclusion, let me affirm that as Myanmar marches ahead and continues navigating its development path forward, India’s engagement with Myanmar offers a shining example of cooperation rooted in mutual respect, sustainability, and shared responsibility. Each individual trained, each road or bridge laid and each monument restored is more than just a programme or a project – it is a bridge between nations and communities in accordance with their own dreams and aspirations.

Thank you.

*****