Chennai: Myanmar Ambassador to India Kyaw Thu has denied presence of any Chinese Naval base in Coco Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

"In fact, we had only upgraded our facilities like communications, port infrastructure and detection equipment there with Chinese help, which does not mean that it is a Chinese Naval base," he said during an interaction with reporters on May 2 night.

Thu explained that since there were US embargoes against the military regime of Myanmar at that time, only China was willing to supply equipment for upgradation of the facilities in the islands.

He said as a policy, his government did not embark on joint exercises with any country or allow another country to set up bases in the Myanmar soil.

Thu, on a two-day visit to the city, called for added efforts to improve the relationship and co-operation between India and Myanmar.

Recalling former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Myanmar in 1987, he said no top-level visit had taken place after that. Myanmar was now looking forward to a visit by Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat at the earliest.

Thu said his country shared a 1,463 km long border with India and it was vigilant against infiltration of insurgents from the North Eastern states of India.

"In fact, we even carried out mopping up operations on our side of the border, though the Indian government never requested for the same," he said.

He expressed concern at the delay in the repatriation of Myanmar fishermen and others getting strayed or stranded in Indian soil. At present, one fisherman, who strayed into Indian waters, was staying in Chennai with the help of Indo-Myanmar Council for Cultural Relations.

Besides, a total of 627 Myanmar citizens were lodged in Andaman and Nicobar islands. The Ambassador said he would visit them shortly and take up their repatriation issue with the authorities. Last year, he managed to get at least 400 people repatriated to Myanmar.

Myanmar has a population of Indian origin numbering 10 lakh, mainly from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

PTI