Indo-Burma Car Rally to Promote Friendship and Trade

A car rally from the northeastern Indian city of Guwahati to Burma's former capital Rangoon will be held from Jan 29 to Feb 9 next year to promote trade and friendship, according to a committee formed to organize the event.

The theme of the rally, which is organized by the North East Federation on International Trade (NEFIT) and the Assam Speed and Adventure Club in collaboration with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, is “mapping connectivity,” with a focus on “building bilateral relations, culture, tourism and trade.”

“Connectivity is one issue why we are making this. We are dealing basically with trade, and along with trade, we are also focusing on tourism and culture,” said Bijay Phangsu, the working president of NEFIT.

He added that the rally will also promote India's “Look East” policy, which seeks to build ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), of which Burma is the only member bordering India. 

“As there was an agreement to build a road from Tamu [on the India-Burma border] to Myawaddy, a town on the border with Thailand, we want to experience the different sectors of it and see which parts are constructed. Maybe in the future, we might extend this kind of trip to other Asean countries through Myanmar,” said Phangsu.

He added that he expected the rally event to open business opportunities for both countries and help traders to learn more about border trade with Burma.

Around 50 cars are expected to take part in the 12-day rally, which will cover about 5,000 km and include around 200 participants from both India and Burma.

The Burmese participants will start in Tamu, in Burma's Sagaing Division, while Indian participants will begin in Guwahati, in Assam State, passing through Dimapur, Kohima and Imphal before crossing the border at Moreh, opposite Tamu.

From there, participants from both countries will make their way toKalay, Mandalay and the new capital Naypyidaw before finally reaching Rangoon. From Rangoon, they will pass through Prome, the ancient capital Pagan and Monywa on the way back to the border. The rally will finish in Guwahiti on Feb 9.