India attaches a high degree of importance to technical cooperation in its relation with different developing countries in general and with Myanmar in particular. India's relations with Myanmar are multi-dimensional and a major facet of these relations is technical cooperation that aims to transfer our technical knowledge and skills to selected persons or organizations engaged in productive sectors in Myanmar. Our technical cooperation programme with Myanmar has emanated from our conscious desire to share advances in training and technology and Myanmar's receptiveness to such assistance because it is relevant to her needs.
2.              The Government of India is implementing the Human Resource Development (HRD) Cooperation with Myanmar under different schemes such as the Technical Cooperation scheme (TCS) of Colombo Plan, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and the General Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS) of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Mekong-Ganga Co-Operation and Cultural Exchange Programme. Most of these schemes of the Government of India include to and fro air ticket, living allowance to the trainees and educational fees to the different training institutes in India. The areas of training range from education including English language, information technology, computer applications, agriculture, remote sensing, industry, urban development, diplomacy, mass communication and other related areas. India is a preferred destination for Myanmar trainees/students because of the range of courses we offer with English as the medium of instruction.
3.              The number of trainees deputed from Myanmar to India under TCS of Colombo Plan, ITEC and GCSS of ICCR has increased markedly during the last few years. The scheme-wise allotment and utilization of training slots by Myanmar since 1995-96 is given at Annexure-A.
4.              In addition, "Aid to Myanmar" budget has been utilized for meeting HRD and other requirements of Myanmar, which are not covered under the above mentioned schemes. Under this, training for Myanmar nationals is arranged in areas such as science & technology, information, communication, and agriculture. HRD cooperation with Myanmar is also taking place under the programme of cooperation identified by the Joint Working Group on S&T. The Archaeological Survey of India had also contributed to this process by providing slots in its Post Graduate Diploma course for trainees from Myanmar. HRD cooperation has been expanded by arranging admissions to specialized courses for trainees of the Myanmar Aerospace and Maritime Universities.
5.              The Mission had proposed to MEA an allocation of a sum of Rs. 2 crores per annum out of the Aid to Myanmar Budget for achieving the following objectives in our HRD cooperation with Myanmar :
(a)     Increase in the number of slots.
(b)     Placement of Myanmar engineering and medical students in professional courses.
(c)     Admissions to specialized courses in India for Myanmar experts from Myanmar Aerospace and          Myanmar Maritime Universities.
(d)    Deputation of Indian experts for short duration to different Universities in Myanmar.
(e)    Academic projects between educational institutes of two countries such as North Eastern Hill          University of India and University of Yangon, Myanmar.
(f)     Presentation of books, laboratory equipment, teaching aids, etc. to Myanmar institutions.
(g)    Arrangement of a few customized courses for defence personnel of Myanmar.
              Our objective is that over the next few years, a sufficient body of people in different areas trained in and exposed to India would strengthen our bilateral relations.

EDUCATION COOPERATION
7.              India is also extending assistance to the Myanmar Universities by providing books to their libraries. Books were presented to the University of Yangon on October 09, 2002. During his visit to Myanmar on November 27, 2002, Foreign Secretary presented the books to the University of Mandalay. Books were also presented to Yangon University during the visit of Vice president of India, in November, 2003.
8.              MoU between Government of India, MEA-EDCIL and Government of Myanmar for deputation of faculty members in various disciplines for conducting seminars/lectures/training at University of Yangon was signed on 26th June, 03.
9.              India has also been extending assistance to University of Yangon by providing books and deputing experts/faculty members under a MoU signed between Government of India, MEA – EdCIL and Government of Myanmar in June 2003 in various disciplines for conducting seminars/lectures/training programmes for Ph.D students at University of Yangon. During the year 2004-05, 15 experts from various premier institutions of India have visited Yangon for imparting training to the Myanmar students of doctoral level. In the year 2005-06, visit of 47 experts has been planned. 40 of them have already visited Yangon University.
10.              Another MoU on Education Exchange Programme between the Ministry of Education, Government of the Union of Myanmar and the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India was signed in November, 2004. Action to implement the MoU is being taken.
11.              MEA is also processing a request from the University of Yangon to provide equipment for the up gradation of laboratories in the Departments of Biotechnology, Physics and IT.

CONCLUSION
12.              Our assistance to and cooperation with Myanmar in the HRD sector has now developed into a major dimension of the Indo - Myanmar relationship. It is a matter of satisfaction for us that Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the Prime Minister of Myanmar conveyed appreciation of this aspect.