India gives 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to 'friendly' Myanmar to help fight COVID-19

As part of India's contribution to help "friendly neighbour" Myanmar in its fight against COVID-19, Army chief Gen. M M Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday handed over 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

Gen. Naravane and Shringla are here on a two-day visit from Sunday to Myanmar with an aim to furr expand ties in a range of areas including connectivity, defence and security. Indian Army chief and Foreign Secretary along with Ambassor of India to Myanmar, Saurabh Kumar, called on Suu Kyi at Naypyitaw on Monday during which y discussed important bilateral issues, Indian embassy tweeted.

"As part of India's contribution to help a friendly neighbour Myanmar fight against COVID-19", General Naravane and Shringla handed over 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to Suu Kyi, it said in ar tweet.

intraveus antiviral drug, Remdesivir, is used to treat COVID-19. US President Donald Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, is also being ministered Remdesivir. visit by Gen. Naravane and Shringla to Myanmar assumes significance as it comes in midst of Indian Army's bitter border standoff with Chinese military in eastern Lakh as well restrictions on foreign visits due to coronavirus pandemic. It is Gen. Naravane's first visit to any foreign country after he took charge as Chief of Army Staff on December 31 last year.

Myanmar is one of India's strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of rastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur. visit by Gen. Naravane and Shringla came four days after two countries carried out a detailed review of ir ties in a wide range of areas at a virtual meeting held under framework of India-Myanmar foreign office consultations.

In meeting, Shringla said India and Myanmar are working towards operationalising Sittwe Port by first quarter of next year and that tendering process for 69 bridges proposed under ambitious India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway will begin soon. Sittwe Port is part of Kalan multi-modal transit transport project which is being viewed as India's gateway to Souast Asia. port will connect India’s landlocked rastern region with Bay of Bengal through Mizoram.

In his remarks, Shringla also said that Myanmar’s handing over of 22 Indian insurgents has been deeply appreciated by India and sends a strong mess of "deterrence to inimical elements on both sides." India has been concerned over some militant groups from rth-East region taking shelter in Myanmar. country has been assuring India that it would t allow any insurgent group to use its territory against India.

In June 2015 Indian Army h carried out an operation in areas near Indo-Myanmar against NSCN (K) militants, days after ultras h killed 18 Army men in Manipur.

two countries have significantly ramped up defence and security cooperation in last few years including in maritime security sphere. India has been assisting Myanmar in developing border areas under an agreement inked in 2012 that provided for granting USD 5 million each year over a period of five years. This MoU has alrey been extended till 2022.

India's development cooperation in Myanmar is estimated at USD 1.4 billion. two countries are also expanding partnership in area of energy cooperation. With investments of over USD 1.2 billion, Myanmar has highest Indian investment in any country in South Asia, a source said. Recently, India approved an investment of over USD 120 million in Shwe Oil and Gas project.

(Im Credits: Twitter/@IndiainMyanmar)

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