MoS for External Affairs V K Singh. (File Photo)
India on Monday called for expanding the areas of cooperation among the member countries of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bloc to further deepen mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation. “The cooperation among our countries as part of the MGC framework, aims at restoring and re-invigorating these ancient linkages leading up to the building of an inclusive and prosperous society,” Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said addressing the eighth Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in Manila.
“It is in pursuance of this aim that we have proposed to add newer areas of cooperation to the traditional areas on tourism, culture, education, transport and communication,” Singh said. He said India that the member states were looking forward to sustaining this progress in the years to come and in further deepening our mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation.
The MGC is an initiative by India and five ASEAN countries, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications. It was launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Laos.
“We look forward to closely working with Myanmar for developing the ‘Buddhist Trail’ and designate points of contact for enhancing tourism cooperation among MGC countries,” he said.
He also said the Nalanda University is well underway on its path towards becoming a leading academic institution focusing on Asian history and Mekong Ganga region. “We also look forward to the support of all MGC countries towards creation of the Common Archival Resource Centre at Nalanda University,” Singh said.
