President Ram Nath Kovind says India may give more aid to develop Rakhine

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Updated: Dec 14, 2018 00:07 IST

India on Thursday said it would consider providing more aid for efforts to develop the troubled Rakhine state in Myanmar and handed over the first 50 units of prefabricated houses built in the region with funding from New Delhi.

A joint statement issued during President Ram Nath Kovind’s state visit to Myanmar said India will “consider expanding the existing Rakhine State Development Programme once the current allocation of $25 million is fully committed”.

Without mentioning the Rohingya refugees currently living in Bangladesh, the statement said India had expressed its support for agreements between Myanmar and Bangladesh for the “repatriation of the verified displaced persons from Rakhine State and underlined its readiness to continue to assist in addressing this complex issue”.

The two sides shared the view that the situation in Rakhine has “humanitarian, developmental as well as security dimensions”.

Myanmar welcomed Indian aid for infrastructure development under the Rakhine State Development Programme, including a pilot housing project, agricultural development and information technology education.