IANS | 20 Jul, 2018
Myanmar on Thursday joined the India-initiated International Solar
Alliance (ISA), becoming the 68th member of the grouping that is aiming
at optimum utilisation of solar energy.
Myanmar Minister for
International Cooperation Kyaw Tin handed over the ISA Framework
Agreement to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a bilateral
meeting here on the margins of this year's Delhi Dialogue, the premier
annual track 1.5 event to discuss politico-security, economic and
socio-cultural engagement between India and the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (Asean) bloc.
"Myanmar became the 68th signatory
to the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance,"
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted following
the meeting.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then
French President Francois Hollande at the Paris climate summit in 2015,
the ISA was conceived as a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to
address their special energy needs and provide a platform to
collaborate on dealing with the identified gaps through a common, agreed
approach.
It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
Kumar also said that the two sides also exchanged views on cementing bilateral cooperation.
India is a key development aid partner for Myanmar and is implementing a number of infrastructure projects in that country.
These
include the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project connecting
Mizoram with Sittwe port in Myanmar, the Trilateral Highway Project
connecting India with Myanmar and Thailand and the Rhi-Tiddim road.
India
is also offering economic and humanitarian aid to its eastern
neighbour's Rakhine State in the wake of the Rohingya refugee crisis.
