Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar last week emphasised on better connectivity between the member countries of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bloc for developing a “vibrant economic growth corridor”.

“Connectivity is a major focus area of our cooperation. We look forward to the early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and its extension to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam,” Jaishankar said while addressing the 10th MGC Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok.

He said the Jakarta-based Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) have been tasked to study the feasibility of “developing the planned highway as a vibrant economic growth corridor”.

Jaishakar also emphasised on the need to quickly finalise the India-Myanmar-Thailand Motor Vehicle Agreement to facilitate seamless movement of goods and passengers across borders. The move, he said, will lead to greater trade and tourism.

India had earlier announced a $1 billion Line of Credit for connectivity projects in the ASEAN.

What is the purpose of MGC?

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation 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 communication. It was launched in 2000 at Vientiane, Laos.

Both the Ganga and the Mekong are civilisational rivers, and the MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins.

The MGC is also indicative of the cultural and commercial linkages among the member countries of the MGC down the centuries.

Highlights of ministerial meeting

The ministers adopted the new MGC Plan of Action 2019-22 that envisages project-based cooperation in the areas of tourism and culture, education, public health and traditional medicine, agriculture and allied sectors, transport and communication, MSMEs, water resources management, science and technology, skill development and capacity building.

They welcomed India’s assistance to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam under the MGC Quick Impact Projects (QIP) Scheme and noted that since its inception in 2014, as many as 24 projects have been completed so far.

In 2019, 18 QIPs will be implemented in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos at a cost of $900,000.

The ministers appreciated India’s pledge of $72.5 million under a Project Development Fund to facilitate Indian investments in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

They highlighted the importance of water resources management as a new area of cooperation and appreciated India’s offer to conduct training programmes and workshops in water resource management and community farming.

Jaishankar emphasised on enhancing direct air connectivity between the member nations to facilitate better “business and tourism”. He announced that low-cost Indian carrier, IndiGo, will start direct flights on the New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City sector from October and daily services from Kolkata to Yangon from late September.