MCCI inks MoU with Mandalay counterpart

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 23 : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Manipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MRCCI) to promote and facilitate trade relations between India and Myanmar with special focus on trade at Moreh (India)-Tamu (Myanmar) adhering to the principles of AITIGA (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement) & AITISA (ASEAN-India Trade in Services Agreement).
The MoU was signed on March 18 as a part of the India-Myanmar Business Seminar 2026 at Mandalay in the presence of Abhay Thakur, Ambassador of India to Myanmar; Sundeep Kaushal, Consul General of India; U Thein Htay, Commerce Minister of Mandalay Region; U Tin Latt, president, MRCCI and Mayor of Mandalay, said a press release.
As per the MoU, both parties have agreed to work together to promote and increase bilateral trade and investment between India and Myanmar; encourage and facilitate the exchange of information, expertise and technology in areas of IT & ITES, agriculture, food processing, bamboo, textiles and garments, tourism, healthcare etc; collaborate on joint projects and initiatives in the aforementioned areas to promote trade and investment between the two; hold meetings/seminars/bu-siness conclaves aimed to promote trade, investment and technology; share information on 'best practices' related to trade promotion and development and advocate policies for the promotion of regional trade and economy, cultural connects etc.    
With regard to governance, the MCCI and MRCCI will appoint a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to facilitate communications between the two.
The 6-member MCCI delegation, comprising president Dr Basudev Singh, Thokchom Buddhabir Singh and secretary Haorokcham Anil Singh among others, was accorded a warm welcome by the Commerce Minister of Mandalay Region.
Speaking on the occasion, Anil Haorokcham highlighted the historical connections between Manipur and Myanmar as part of the Southern Silk Route.
He said both MCCI and MRCCI have made a proposal to allow traders/businessmen who are identified by both Governments to travel upto Imphal in India and Mandalay in Myanmar without passports after recommendation by both the chambers.
The proposal of doing trade bound by AITIGA and AITIGA was also put forward to overcome the restriction of 62 tradable item limit as per the border trade agreement, he added. Further, on March 21, Ashish Sharma, IFS, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Yangon arranged a special meeting with delegates of MCCI.
Other participants at the meeting include Phyu Thae New, Economic Attache, Consul General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Economic Attache, Embassy of Myanmar, New Delhi and team of India-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce led by president Naresh Kumar Dinodiya.
The gathering deliberated over a permanent annual India-Myanmar business forum and other short and long term goals such as increasing trade volume,  securing Manipur's position as hub of North East trade and becoming the ASEAN gateway for India.