YANGON: India will engage closely with Myanmar in rebuilding infrastructure and cultural landmarks devastated by the massive earthquake that left over 3,000 dead, India’s envoy to the country said.India’s Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur told PTI Videos on Thursday that iconic sites such as the Mahamuni Pagoda in Rakhine State, the Mandalay Palace, the U Bein Bridge in Mandalay on the Irrawaddy River, the National Museum and state buildings in Naypyidaw have suffered significant damage.”Myanmar will be looking for support and developmental assistance from India, and we will discuss and assess their needs. But I can certainly say that we will be very closely engaged with Myanmar in both the rehabilitation and the reconstruction phase,” the envoy said, highlighting Myanmar’s importance under India’s “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies.“Going forward, India remains committed to supporting Myanmar not only in the immediate phase but also in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase,” Thakur said.The earthquake has left a trail of destruction, particularly in central regions like Sagaing and Mandalay where numerous bridges have collapsed.“The whole connectivity through the Sagaing region from Mandalay all the way up has been affected,” Thakur noted.He said India would engage closely with Myanmar to assess needs and discuss detailed plans, ensuring a comprehensive approach to rebuilding infrastructure and cultural landmarks.“We have significant and strategically important projects — the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project,” he said.The Kaladan project, which aims to create a multi-modal transit corridor linking India’s northeastern states to Myanmar’s Sittwe port, and the Trilateral Highway designed to enhance trade links between India, Myanmar, and Thailand are progressing with Indian support.These initiatives, supported through grants, lines of credit, and capacity building, form the backbone of a “very substantive developmental partnership” between the two nations, the envoy said.India is intensifying its support beyond immediate rescue and relief efforts, which have already seen the delivery of over 1000 tonnes of aid, including food, medicine, and emergency supplies.The ambassador also praised the Myanmar authorities and people for their swift and supportive response to India’s assistance following the earthquake.“We’ve had speedy clearances, quick approvals,” Thakur said, describing the collaboration as a “testament and testimony to our very close ties”.Despite ongoing internal conflicts in Myanmar, he noted that support for India’s efforts has been uniform across regions, townships, and political spectrums.The 7.7 magnitude earthquake, one of the deadliest in Myanmar’s recent history, on March 28 killed around 3,000 people and displaced thousands, compounding the country’s struggles with civil unrest and economic instability.
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