Backgrounder

Myanmar and India share a long geographical border and a shared heritage. Connected through land, the North Eastern states of India and the North Western states of Myanmar are the global hotspot in terms of natural resources and strategic relevance. The Brahmaputra river is the symbol of the lives and people of the North Eastern states of India and the Ayeyarwady river largely shapes the culture and livelihood for the people of Myanmar. Both regions are primarily agrarian economies, having immense biodiversity, natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and ample water resources. Connectivity projects are also being implemented such as India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Kaladan multimodal transit transport project, irrigation, electricity development, health, education, and many other socio-economic projects.   

While Myanmar acts as a land bridge between India and Southeast and East Asia, we often miss the people living below the bridges, particularly in the border areas.  The Brahmaputra-Ayeyarwady conversation will explore areas of Indo-Myanmar Cooperation especially between India’s North Eastern states and Myanmar in order to realize the true potential of bilateral cooperation in engendering and generating livelihood, promoting social development, improving agriculture and the farm sector, boosting tourism, health and educational exchanges,  and developing better policies for water management, with a vision of prosperity and livelihood of communities at  the border zones.The webinar will be an attempt to make an assessment of opportunities and challenges on current agenda of collaboration, bring together a renewed narrative of cooperation post-COVID era, connect academics and policy makers and to brainstorm and ideate on the different institutional mechanisms required.

SESSION 1 : Innaugural

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm IST

Welcome: 

• Mr. Sabyasachi Dutta , ED, Asian Confluence, India East Asia Center, Shillong

Chair:

• Mr.M.P. Bezbaruah, Chairman, Governing Council, Asian Confluence and  Former Member North Eastern Council

Inaugural Address

• H.E. Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Ambassador of India to Myanmar
• H.E. Mr. Moe Kyaw Aung, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to India

Special Address

• Mr. R.K.Ranjan, Member of Parliament, Manipur

Keynote Address

• H.E. Dr. Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur

SESSION 2: Panel Discussion

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm IST

Chair:

• Amb. Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar

Special Remarks

• Mr. Keiichi Onozawa, South Asia Regional Representative, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan

Presentations

• Dr. Prabir De, Head, AIC, RIS, New Delhi

Panellist:

• Dr. Zaw Oo,  Executive Director, CESD Myanmar, Yangon
• Dr. Myo Myo Myint, Director, CEES Myanmar, Yangon
• Dr. Myo Thant, Former Director, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila
• Dr. Ch Ibohal Meitei, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development, Manipur University, Imphal
• Prof. Priyoranjan Singh, Manipur University, Imphal
• Dr. Palin Khundongbam, Chairman and Managing Director, Shija Hospital and Research Institute, Imphal
• Dr. R.K. Shivachandra, Convenor, Act East Policy Committee, Govt of Manipur

Q&A

Closing Remarks by

Prof. Thuta Aung, Mandalay Forum for East Asian Studies (MFEAS)