Emphasising the need for “greater vigilance” at the border, India and Myanmar agreed to “enhance security cooperation to combat insurgent groups and arms smuggling” during the two-day consultations between Foreign Secretary Shivshanker Menon and his Myanmarese counterpart in Yangon.

The Ninth Foreign Office Consultations between India and Myanmar were held in Yangon on November 22-23, where the Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Myanmar was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu.

The Ministry of External Affairs, in an official statement on Monday, said that both sides “expressed satisfaction at the close and friendly relations” between them and emphasised the need to “maintain the momentum” in bilateral relations.

“The talks were most cordial and constructive. Foreign Secretary invited his counterpart to India for the next Foreign Office Consultations, an invitation which was readily accepted,” said the MEA statement.

The two countries, according to the MEA, talked about the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of energy and oil and natural gas.

The discussions covered a wide range of bilateral issues, including security and border issues, trade and economic cooperation and cooperation in cross-border developmental projects, IT, Energy, Power and Education & Training.

The decisions taken during the 3rd Joint Trade Committee held in October 2008 were reviewed, which included converting Indo-Myanmar border trade into normal trade, opening of a border trade point at Avakhung in Nagaland and expanding the existing border trade items from 22 to 40. “Both sides expressed willingness to enter into an arrangement for long-term purchase of pulses from Myanmar,” the MEA statement said.

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