Historic India-Myanmar Land Border Opens at Tamu

By
EurAsian Times Desk
-

Amid a newly found cordiality in India-Myanmar relations, Myanmar on Wednesday formally opened the India-Myanmar land border at Tamu. Special land entry permissions which were needed earlier to cross over via land have now been abrogated. The remarkable event was marked by a jubilant ceremony attended by top officials. As per sources, the opening of the land border at Tamu was agreed upon Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Myanmar in May. 

Earlier, special land entry permissions were needed by people to visit Myanmar through the land border. The open land border expells out any such permissions which were earlier mandatory and hence this marked a historic high in India-Myanmar relations.

This is also a new pillar of success for India’s Act East Policy which is India’s response to China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. Consul General of India in Myanmar was invited to the ceremony as an esteemed guest and he hailed this move as being of great significance in bilateral ties between the two nations.

Land borders between the two nations have been opened in Tamu, Rikhawadar and Zowkhawthar in Sikkim. People from either side holding a valid passport and visa can walk through from one side to another through these open borders.

Before this historic move turned into a reality, people travelling from India to Myanmar had to hire licensed guide costing more than 50 dollars a day. In addition to this a special land route permit was needed by travellers from India but now all these requirements and compulsions have been scrapped off.

India and Myanmar are also committed to enhancing road connectivity between them and have undertaken two large projects in this direction. These projects in all probabilities shall be completed by the end of 2020. Now with an open border between them,  the two nations can move to bolster ties over trade, commerce and tourism.

More News at EurAsian Times

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR