Antony Flags off Indo-Myanmar Rally

New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) Defence Minister AK Antony today flagged off the Indo-Myanmar Army Car Rally -- from New Delhi to Yangon -- signifying closer Indo-Myanmar cooperation, especially in the field of defence.

Among those present on the occasion were Myanmar's Chief of General Staff General Thura Shwe Mann and Indian Army Chief Gen JJ Singh.

The rallyists -- comprising 14 teams, including three from the Myanmar Army -- will cover a distance of more than 8,000 km and traverse rugged mountains, dense forests and numerous rivers.

The rally will pass through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur before entering Myanmar at Moreh. In Myanmar, the rallyists will transit through Tamu, Mandalay, Taungoo before finally reaching Yangon.

This route will acquaint the rallyists with a number of historical battle fields of the Burma Campaign of World War II where a number of Indian Army Regiments had won Battle Honours with distinction.

At Yangon, a commemorative ceremony will be organised at the Taukkyan War Cemetery, where the Rallyists will pay homage to their departed comrades with full military honours.

In Myanmar -- earlier known as Burma and part of the British colonial India -- lie the mortal remains of a large number of Indian soldiers who fought in World War II. Their remains have been recovered from remote areas in inaccessible forests and consecrated in the Taukkyan War Cemetery, located close to Yangon.

UNI DG RL DB1949