Thailand · Part 2

. GOI donation of a foot replica of the Sarnath Buddha Statue which has been installed at the premises of Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. . The ‘Samvad-II’ Interfaith dialogue was held on - August , Yangon. . ICCR and Sitagu International Buddhist Academy organised an International Conference on Buddhist Cultural Heritage . India has responded to Myanmar’s interest in restoring and renovating two historic temples in Bodh Gaya built by Myanmar rulers King Mindon and King Baygyidaw. These temples and inscriptions will now be restored with the assistance of the Archaeological Survey of India as a bilateral friendship project. Indian diaspora . The origin of the Indian community in Myanmar is traced to the mid- th century with the advent of the British rule in Lower Burma in . . The two cities Yangon and Mandalay had a dominating presence of Indians in civil services, education, trade and commerce during the British rule. Bilateral Cooperation in Regional/Sub- regional context ASEAN: As the only ASEAN country which shares a land border with India, Myanmar is a bridge between India and ASEAN. BIMSTEC: Myanmar is a signatory to the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement. Myanmar is the lead country for the energy sector. Myanmar trades mostly with Thailand and India in the BIMSTEC region. Myanmar’s major exports to India are agricultural products like beans, pulses and maize and forest products such as teak and hardwoods. Its imports from India include chemical products, pharmaceuticals, ( electrical appliances and transport equipment. Mekong Ganga Cooperation: Myanmar is a member of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) since its inception in November . MGC is an initiative by six countries – India and five ASEAN countries namely, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – for cooperation in the fields of tourism, education, culture, transport and communication. The chairmanship of MGC is assumed by member countries in alphabetical order. SAARC: Myanmar was given the status of observer in SAARC in August . . In India, we often say Myanmar is our “gateway” to the East. Against the rhetoric, the existing connectivity between