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India, Myanmar share age-old cultural and civilizational ties: PM | Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said India and Myanmar share age-old cultural and civilizational
ties, and added that merchants, monks and maritime traders carried influences and traditions from one to the other. "The large Indian origin community in Myanmar
is an enduring bridge of friendship and cultural exchange between our peoples,"
said Dr. Singh in his address to think-tank's and business community at an event
organized by Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Myanmar
Development Resource Institute in Yangon on India and Myanmar: A Partnership for
Progress and Regional Development. Dr. Singh said the common Buddhist heritage
is an even stronger spiritual bond among the people of India and Myanmar . "This
year marks the 2600th anniversary of the holy Shwedagon Pagoda. I will offer prayers
there later this evening. We will make an offering of a 16 feet replica of the
Sarnath Buddha on behalf of the people of India . We are also working with local
authorities to help organize an international conference on Buddhist heritage
in Myanmar later this year," he said. The Prime Minister said the Indian leaders
shared ideas and thoughts on the freedom struggle during the independence movements.
" Mahatma Gandhi visited Myanmar a number of times and wrote in his autobiography
how impressed he was by the freedom and energy of Myanmar women. Great leaders
of India like Lokmanya Tilak and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose were held for long
periods in jails in Myanmar . The Indian National Army received a lot of support
from the people of Myanmar ," said Dr. Singh. "Our first Prime Minister, Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, respected and admired General Aung San and pledged India 's
full support to Myanmar 's freedom. In the early years following independence,
India and Myanmar were deeply sympathetic and supportive of each other," he added.
Dr. Singh also called for rediscovering the immense possibilities of cooperation
that exist between India and Myanmar . "Today, we again have an opportunity to
work as equal partners to revive the ancient links between our two countries and
rediscover the immense possibilities of cooperation that exist between our two
countries," said Dr. Singh. "We need to work with each other and with other countries
of our region to build prosperity, promote openness of thought and facilitate
trade and movement of goods, people and ideas," he added. Dr. Singh further said
that he had very fruitful discussions with Myanmar President U Thein Sein during
his present visit. "I have come after spending two days in the impressive and
beautiful capital city of Naypyitaw . I am very happy with the discussions I have
had with the leaders of Myanmar . President Thein Sein's visit to India last year
heralded a new era of cooperation between our two countries," said Dr. Singh.
"I found him to be a man of courage, vision and sincerity. The leadership of Myanmar
has a great desire to expand and strengthen the traditionally friendly relations
between our two countries. This is a sentiment we fully reciprocate from the Indian
side," he added. The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude to the Union
of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Myanmar Development
Resource Institute for inviting him to speak in front of a distinguished gathering.
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