After Vietnam, Laos Cambodia on agenda

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President Patil to visit Laos and Cambodia - Oneindia News

New Delhi, Sep 7 (ANI): To further advance India's Look East policy, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will be paying a state visit to Laos from September 9 to 13 and Cambodia from September 13 to 18.

President Patil is visiting Laos on the invitation of the President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, who paid a state visit to India in August 2008.

A delegation of senior officials will accompany President Patil on her visit.

It would be President Patil's first visit to Laos, and only the second by an Indian President since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1955, soon after the visit of former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1954, and the formation of the International Commission for Supervision and Control (ICSC).

Apart from visiting Laotian capital Vientiane, President Patil and the delegation will also travel to Luang Prabang.

The visit of President Patil to Laos is meant to reaffirm India's commitment to further strengthen and consolidate bilateral relations, and enhance economic engagement and assistance in socio- economic development.

The President will also have discussions with President Choummaly Sayasone and Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in Vientiane, apart from official talks between the two sides

After Laos, President Patuil will travel to Cambodia from September 13 - 18 on the invitation of King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni.

Apart from visiting Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, President Patil would be travelling with the delegation to Siem Reap where the world famous temples of Angkor Wat is located.

India and Cambodia enjoy a long standing shared historical affinity and close cultural ties. Cambodia is an important partner of India among the ASEAN countries.

President Patil's visit to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap will provide an opportunity for reaffirming and strengthening multifaceted bilateral ties, including commercial and investment relations.

Cambodia is also currently the coordinator on the ASEAN side for India-ASEAN relations. (ANI)

 

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India, Laos sign agreements to give modern content to 2000-year-old friendship

To give modern content to a historic friendship of over 2000 years, India and Laos on Friday signed a series of agreements to strengthen their age-old ties.

The two countries signed a cultural exchange programme for 2011, 2012 and 2013. Both sides agreed to offer scholarships annually for higher studies in universities / institutions in each other's countries.

"President of Laos thanked India for its cooperation in its development. India is pleased to be partner of Laos in meeting its developmental goals. He also expressed appreciation for India's duty free tariff scheme," Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Vijaya Latha Reddy told reporters after a meeting between both Presidents concluded.

"A cultural exchange programme was signed for the period 2011 to 2013 and steps India is going to take has been outlined," she added.

Apart from it, both sides will also exchange visits by experts in health sciences for delivering lectures, study tours and training. The National Library, Kolkata, will exchange reading materials including microfilms, microfiches etc. with the libraries and institutions in Laos.

The agreements were signed by India's Ambassador to Laos, Dr. Jitendra Nath Misra and Lao Vice Minister for Information and Culture Bouangeun Xaphouvong in the presence of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and her Lao counterpart Choummaly Sayasone.

Both presidents simultaneously pressed the buttons to inaugurate an electricity project of 115KV double line circuit, which has been constructed with the help of a loan from India.

"This project will help Lao to meet its developmental goal to create a national power grid and will reinforce the energy sector as a part of on going infrastructural development of the Government of Lao," said Latha Reddy.

She also said India has agreed to the Laotian Government's proposal for for 72.55 million dollars for two power projects of 230 megawatts and 15 mega watts respectively. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)

 

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India to renovate 11th century Shiva Temple in Laos - Oneindia News

Vientiane, Sept 10 (ANI): India has agreed to renovate the Vat Phou or Wat Phou temple complex in southern Laos as part of deepening cultural and historical ties which have existed between the two countries for more than 2000 years.

Wat Phou is a ruined Khmer temple complex in southern Laos. It is located at the base of Mount Phu Kao near the Mekong river in Champasak province. There was a temple on the site as early as the sixth century. The summit of Phu Kao is like Linga, the phallic symbol of Shiva, thus giving it the more popular name, Lingaparvat.


"It is an ongoing restoration project which started in 2009. The work restarts again after the end of rainy season in Lao. It will take seven years for completion of the project. It will also help us to understand common cultural heritage of Lao," Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Vijaya Latha Reddy.

The inscriptions found in the area suggest that the ancient city itself was founded around the middle of 5th century. The site is now a major centre of Theravada Buddhist worship.

In the 12 century, Wat Phou and Angkor Vat formed the axis of Khmer Empire which also were linked by a 200 km long ancient road between the two heritage sites.

The Archaeological survey of India team arrived in June 2009 at Vat Phou and conducted studies of foundations, drainage problems, super structural elements as well as did the documentation, recording, survey work etc. for the Northern Quadrangle of temple complex. By Praful Kumar Singh (ANI)

 

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A very smart approach in foreign policy by the GOI. Finally look east policy is being implemented to its fullest. There is still time to make Southeast our strategic base. Chinese want to use Pakistan and Nepal against us; they will then have to face the music down South. I hope there are stronger ties and more agreements between the Southeast and India. Since Thailand and Vietnam are the only two stable countries with stronger militaries, I think military diplomacy should start in both these states and onwards even clandestinely with Burmese troops. We don't have to essentially win over the Burmese totally; just confuse them enough to keep a neutral approach when it comes to us vs China.