The ceremony to commemorate the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day 2026 was held at the Parkroyal Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw on 30 October 2026.
It was attended by Union Ministers U Aung Kyaw Hoe, Dr Kan Zaw, Dr Chaw Chaw Sein, Dr Soe Win, Dr Charlie Than and U Tun Ohn, senior officials, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Abhay Thakur and relevant officials of the Indian embassy.
The ceremony was inaugurated with video clips featuring the short film on the ITEC programme and the film on Development Cooperation.
Indian Ambassador Mr Abhay Thakur said the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme is a cornerstone of India’s development partnership with the Global South. Globally, over 225,000 professionals from over 160 nations have benefited from ITEC civilian and defence courses to date. Over the ten years from 2016-2017 to 2025-2026, 4,057 Myanmar participants attended short-term specialized courses in fields such as public administration, law, leadership, security, healthcare, digital technology, English language proficiency, agriculture, financial management, and other professional skills, thereby contributing to the emergence of skilled professionals across Myanmar. He concluded by emphasizing that India will continue to remain a mutual respect and sustainable partner in Myanmar’s development process.
Afterwards, Union Minister for National Planning, Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Aung Kyaw Hoe delivered a speech. In his speech, he noted that the ITEC programme was launched on 15 September 1964, making it one of the longest-running international capacity-building and human resource development initiatives. He highlighted that capacity-building training courses have been offered to Myanmar since 1996, playing a crucial role in strengthening the capacity of civil servants across various sectors in the country.
The Union Minister expressed appreciation for providing short-term and long-term training programmes, master’s and doctoral degree programmes, concluding with best wishes for the continued success of the ITEC programme.
The former trainees of the ITEC programme shared their experience.
Union Ministers, the Indian Ambassador and attendees enjoyed the performance of Indian cultural dance troupes, had a documentary photo taken and had dinner together. — MNPIFER
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