NAY PYI TAW, July 26
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is on a goodwill visit in Visakhapatnam of the Republic of India at the invitation of Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air) and Chief of the Air Staff, was welcomed with a Guard of Honour by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command at the command headquarters at about 10.30 am local standard time on 25 July.
On arrival at the venue of the welcoming ceremony, the Senior General and party were cordially greeted by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command. The Senior General took the salute of the Guard of Honour and inspected it.
The Senior General and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command held a talk at the meeting hall of the headquarters. Also present at the meeting together with the Senior General were Chief of Staff (Navy) Vice-Admiral Moe Aung, Chief of Staff (Air) Lt-Gen Tun Aung and senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command was accompanied by Indian Defence Attachés and officials.
At the meeting, the Senior General said that Visakhapatnam is of importance for tourism services of the country. The Senior General revealed that it was a town where cooperation started with Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (Navy) and where Myanmar’s naval vessels paid the visit for the first time by crossing Indian Ocean. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command said that Myanmar is an important country for India. He expressed his pledge to further cooperate with Myanmar in training affairs and technology. They discussed enhancement of friendly relations and cooperation in training affairs between the two armed forces of both countries.
The Senior General and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Indian Eastern Naval Command exchanged the emblems.An official from the Indian Eastern Naval Command gave a power point presentation on naval affairs to the Senior General and party. In his discussion, the Senior General noted that one country alone cannot take security measures for water territory and the countries sharing maritime border should make concerted efforts for security measures.
In the afternoon, the Senior General and party visited Bharat Dynamics Limited which produces anti-submarine torpedoes.Officials of the company welcomed them and reported on production of torpedoes.The Senior General asked about things he wanted to know. Then, they viewed round the production line of torpedoes in the factory where officials conducted them round the workplaces. The Senior General signed the visitors’ book of the factory, and gifts were exchanged.
In the evening, the Senior General and party paid homage to Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex built on Bheemunipatnam Hillock,15 kilometres from Visakhapatnam. The complex which is a religious area where Buddhist monasteries were built saw the flourishing of Buddhism from about BC 200 to about 200 AD. The region is the source of Buddhism that spread to various parts of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Silver coins used in Roman era as evidences of foreign trade of India, and small scales of pagodas and the footprint of the Buddha as evidences of Buddhism were found in excavating Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex.
At night, the Myanmar Tatmadaw goodwill delegation led by the Senior General was hosted a dinner by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain. They extended greetings at the dinner and exchanged gifts. Cash awards were presented to the band of Indian Eastern Naval Command which performed variety of songs before and during the dinner.
