New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra discussed with the senior leadership of Myanmar the issue of human trafficking by international crime syndicates in that country that have ensnared a number of Indian nationals.
During his two-day visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Kwatra also discussed the issue of maintenance of security and stability in border areas of the two countries amid escalating violence between ethnic armed organisations and the armed forces of Myanmar.
The Foreign Secretary was in Myanmar on November 20-21,
Kwatra held discussions with the senior leadership of Myanmar and expressed India’s continued support to people-centric socioeconomic developmental projects, including those along the India-Myanmar border areas.
The foreign secretary also conveyed India’s commitment towards an expeditious implementation of ongoing connectivity initiatives such as the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, the Trilateral Highway and reviewed bilateral development cooperation projects.
Kwatra also reiterated India’s commitment to continue with the projects under the Rakhine State Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme for the benefit of the people of Myanmar.
The foreign secretary raised the issue of human trafficking by international crime syndicates in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar in which many Indian nationals have been caught.
A large number of Indian nationals had fallen prey to job offers, particularly in the information technology sector, made by crime syndicates operating in the Myawaddy region of Myanmar.
The crime syndicates had placed advertisements for lucrative job offers on social media posing as companies based in Thailand. The job aspirants were then taken from Thailand to Myanmar and forced to commit cyber crimes for ethnic armed organisations in the Myawaddy region, where the government has little control.
India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar that stretches from the India-Myanmar-China trijunction in Arunachal Pradesh to the India-Myanmar -Bangladesh trijunction in Mizoram.
The military junta seized power in Myanmar after a coup in February last year, derailing the experiment with limited democracy.
PTI
