Myanmar commits to expedite India-backed infra projects

Myanmar has resolved to expedite the India-backed infrastructure projects and has also decided to widen the security ties with India as it seeks to check China's expanding presence in the country. The country pushed for early completion of BRI projects. In Moscow, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and explored Myanmar-India defence cooperation. The two discussed security cooperation to ensure successful implementation of the India-funded Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project across the Mizoram border. The project aims to open sea routes and a highway transport system linking the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with the country‘s landlocked northeastern state of Mizoram through Myanmar‘s Rakhine and Chin states. Myanmar is upset with China's pressure on Myanmar to implement the Belt-Road-Initiative (BRI) projects in spite of the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic. China is planning a China-Myanmar-Economic Corridor (CMEC), on lines of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), to get access to the Bay of Bengal and the eastern part of the Indian Ocean Region. Commander-in-chief of Myanmar armed forces called for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, saying that the terrorist groups exist because of China’s support to some ethnic insurgent groups and at the same time meddling in the peace process.