India and Myanmar Wednesday signed an agreement for India's investment of $130 million to develop a multi-modal transport project in western Myanmar enhancing connectivity between the two countries.

The project includes a waterway, building roads and developing the Sittwe Port on the edge of the Bay of Bengal linking Myanmar to Mizoram through the Kaladan river bypassing Bangladesh, Indian External Affairs Ministry officials said.

It also includes a protocol on facilitation of transit transport that will give India's landlocked north-eastern states a new trade route to South East Asia and enhance connectivity benefiting not only Myanmar but India as well, they pointed out.

India had been negotiating with Bangladesh for an access route to the north-eastern states without any success, the officials said.

The agreement was signed in presence of the second-in-command of Myanmar's ruling military junta Vice-senior General Mating Aye and Indian Vice-president Hamid Ansari.

, . Th? de.-\l, the highlight of Gen Mating Aye s four-day visit, coines at a time when the international community is trying to put pressure on the military rulers in Myanmar to usher in democracy.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with the Myanmar general during which they decided to open up the existing border trade points to further promote trade.

Singh emphasised the need for cross-border infrastructure projects to promote greater connectivity.

New Delhi is looking at increasing border trade with Myanmar through two new towns besides the existing one in Moreh in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur which connects with Tamu in Myanmar, the officials said.

Gen Maung Aye also held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Indian army chief Gen Deepak Kapur.

Curbing insurgency and enhancing trade are on the agenda of the Myanmar general's talks with Indian leaders, said the officials.

The issue of Myanmar's move towards political reforms also figured prominently in talks Gen Maung Aye had with Indian leadership.

Noting the positive steps taken by the Myanmar junta towards national reconciliation and political reforms, the Indian prime minister stressed the need for Myanmar to make it broad-based to include all sections of society including imprisoned prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

During his meeting with Ansan, the Myanmar general apprised him of the latest political reforms initiated by his government including the announcement of a referendum in May this year and elections in 2010.

During Gen Maung Aye’s meeting with Indian President Pratibha Patil, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the growing cooperation at regional and multilateral levels.

India has consistently opposed economic sanctions against Myanmar saying they would be counter-productive in pressurising the military junta to introduce democracy and improve domestic human rights record.north-eastern states a new trade route to South East Asia and enhance connectivity benefiting not only Myanmar but India as well, they pointed out.

India had been negotiating with Bangladesh for an access route to the north-eastern states without any success, the officials said.

The agreement was signed in presence of the second-in-command of Myanmar's ruling military junta Vice-senior General Mating Aye and Indian Vice-president Hamid Ansari.

, . Th? de.-\l, the highlight of Gen Mating Aye s four-day visit, coines at a time when the international community is trying to put pressure on the military rulers in Myanmar to usher in democracy.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with the Myanmar general during which they decided to open up the existing border trade points to further promote trade.

Singh emphasised the need for cross-border infrastructure projects to promote greater connectivity.

New Delhi is looking at increasing border trade with Myanmar through two new towns besides the existing one in Moreh in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur which connects with Tamu in Myanmar, the officials said.

Gen Maung Aye also held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Indian army chief Gen Deepak Kapur.

Curbing insurgency and enhancing trade are on the agenda of the Myanmar general's talks with Indian leaders, said the officials.

The issue of Myanmar's move towards political reforms also figured prominently in talks Gen Maung Aye had with Indian leadership.

Noting the positive steps taken by the Myanmar junta towards national reconciliation and political reforms, the Indian prime minister stressed the need for Myanmar to make it broad-based to include all sections of society including imprisoned prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

During his meeting with Ansan, the Myanmar general apprised him of the latest political reforms initiated by his government including the announcement of a referendum in May this year and elections in 2010.

During Gen Maung Aye’s meeting with Indian President Pratibha Patil, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the growing cooperation at regional and multilateral levels.

India has consistently opposed economic sanctions against Myanmar saying they would be counter-productive in pressurising the military junta to introduce democracy and improve domestic human rights record.north-eastern states a new trade route to South East Asia and enhance connectivity benefiting not only Myanmar but India as well, they pointed out.

India had been negotiating with Bangladesh for an access route to the north-eastern states without any success, the officials said.

The agreement was signed in presence of the second-in-command of Myanmar's ruling military junta Vice-senior General Mating Aye and Indian Vice-president Hamid Ansari.

, . Th? de.-\l, the highlight of Gen Mating Aye s four-day visit, coines at a time when the international community is trying to put pressure on the military rulers in Myanmar to usher in democracy.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with the Myanmar general during which they decided to open up the existing border trade points to further promote trade.

Singh emphasised the need for cross-border infrastructure projects to promote greater connectivity.

New Delhi is looking at increasing border trade with Myanmar through two new towns besides the existing one in Moreh in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur which connects with Tamu in Myanmar, the officials said.

Gen Maung Aye also held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Indian army chief Gen Deepak Kapur.

Curbing insurgency and enhancing trade are on the agenda of the Myanmar general's talks with Indian leaders, said the officials.

The issue of Myanmar's move towards political reforms also figured prominently in talks Gen Maung Aye had with Indian leadership.

Noting the positive steps taken by the Myanmar junta towards national reconciliation and political reforms, the Indian prime minister stressed the need for Myanmar to make it broad-based to include all sections of society including imprisoned prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

During his meeting with Ansan, the Myanmar general apprised him of the latest political reforms initiated by his government including the announcement of a referendum in May this year and elections in 2010.

During Gen Maung Aye’s meeting with Indian President Pratibha Patil, the two leaders noted with satisfaction the growing cooperation at regional and multilateral levels.

India has consistently opposed economic sanctions against Myanmar saying they would be counter-productive in pressurising the military junta to introduce democracy and improve domestic human rights record.