Indian envoy calls for boost to India-Myanmar trade

Aizawl, Feb 17: Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Gautam Mukhopadhaya requested the Mizoram government to take all steps to boost the trade with neighbouring Myanmar, officials said on Monday.

The envoy during his two-day (Saturday and Sunday) visit to Mizoram held a series of meetings with Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, Chief Secretary L.Tochhong, top officials, besides leaders of Mizoram Chambers of Commerce and Industries.

They discussed strategies on how to carry out India-Myanmar border trade in a more useful manner.

“India and Myanmar have good neighbourly relations. Using these favourable situations, India has a huge scope to increase its trade and business with Myanmar,” an official quoted Mukhopadhaya as saying in the meeting.

Mukhopadhaya said that Mizoram has the potential to serve the needs of Myanmar in education, health, power supply and industries sectors.

The visiting ambassador suggested that the Mizoram exporters may try exporting goods which have excellent market value in Myanmar.

Officials, traders and businessmen requested Mukhopadhaya to make operational the Zokhawthar border trade centre in western Mizoram at the earliest.

Mukhopadhaya also mentioned that he would soon visit Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project (in Myanmar), being developed with Indian investment to ferry goods between northeast India and abroad via Myanmar.

Mizoram shares international border of 404 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh.