PRESIDENT KOVIND INAUGURATES ENTERPRISE INDIA EXHIBITION IN YANGON; VISITS HISTORIC SHRI KALI TEMPLE AND PAYS RESPECTS AT THE MAUSOLEUM OF BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR

Rashtrapati Bhavan : 13.12.2018

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Fifth Enterprise India Exhibition in Yangon today (December 13, 2018), on the concluding day of his state visit to Myanmar.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Myanmar and India are close neighbours but our trade and investment partnership is modest. However, there are many opportunities before us to expand trade, forge joint ventures and invest in each other’s growth and development. The President expressed happiness that the Enterprise India Show has brought the best of Indian products, services, innovation and know how to business partners, start-ups, incubators and customers in Myanmar. He commended the efforts of the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce in hosting the Show.

The President said the Indian growth story has much to offer Myanmar in terms of infrastructure, cutting-edge products and services and digitally-driven choices – from fintech to biotech. He noted that Myanmar is rich in human and natural resources. If the right regulatory environment is put in place, especially in the fields of energy, telecom, banking, insurance and healthcare, there is every reason for investment to flow in. In this regard, he said the creation of a separate Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations in Myanmar is a welcome step.

Earlier the President commenced his engagements for the day with a visit to the historic Shri Kali Temple in Yangon. The temple goes back close to 150 years and is a unifying symbol for the entire Indian-origin community in Myanmar. Subsequently the President visited the mausoleum of Bahadur Shah Zafar, an iconic figure during the uprising of 1857. He paid his respects by lighting a candle at the mazaar. President Kovind became the second President of India to visit the mausoleum, after Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2006.

In the evening, the President concluded his state visit to Myanmar with a visit to the Dhamma Joti Vipassana Meditation Centre in Yangon, an emblem of shared bilateral heritage. One of India's most ancient techniques of meditation, Vipassana was preserved by Myanmarese monks and practitioners. It is believed to have come back to India from Myanmar.

This release issued at 1655 hrs.