A CAR rally aimed at highlighting the relationship between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will see about 54 vehicles travelling across upper Myanmar later this year.

The inaugural India-ASEAN touring rally, following a route of just over 5000 kilometres, is due to leave the northeastern Indian city of Guwahati on November 23 and end in Bangkok on December 6.

The rally, which has attracted more than 200 participants, will enter Myanmar at Tamu on November 26 and travel about 1400 kilometres in four days across the country to Tachilek, on the border with Thailand.

The route then takes participants through Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia before returning to Thailand for the finish in Bangkok.

The director of the competition and training division of the Ministry of Sport, U Than Zaw, said the rally was proposed by the former Indian prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at the India-ASEAN business summit in New Delhi in September, 2003.

U Than Zaw said that Mr Vajpayee wanted the rally to demonstrate how close India was to ASEAN in geographical terms. The rally, which will coincide with a series of events to promote trade, investment and tourism, also aims to encourage closer relations between the people of India and ASEAN countries.

U Than Zaw said arrangements for the Myanmar leg of the rally were discussed at a meeting with Indian officials in Yangon on June 2.

The meeting followed a survey by a team which included the chairman of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, Mr Rajat Majumdar, of the route the rally will follow in Myanmar. The team included the director general of Ministry of Sport, U Thaung Htike, and a deputy director of the ministry’s Sport and Physical Education Department, U Tun Thant.

After leaving Tamu, the rally will pass through Kalewa, Monywa, Mandalay, Kyaukse, Taunggyi, Loilem and Kyaingtong before reaching Tachilek.

U Than Zaw said India will provide sport utility vehicles for the Myanmar team, which is yet to be finalised.

The rally’s scheduled stopover in Mandalay on November 26 will coincide with a seminar there on India-Myanmar trade and economic cooperation. Events focussing on business, culture and tourism will also be held in the other participating countries as part of the rally.

The rally will be ceremonially flagged off in Vientiane on November 30 by the leaders of India and ASEAN who will be in the Laotian capital for the third ASEAN-India summit.

A presentation ceremony will follow the end of the rally in Bangkok. All participants who finish will receive a memento of their participation in the event.

The event is being jointly organised by India’s ministries of External Affairs and Development of the Northeastern States and the Confederation of Indian Industry, in cooperation with ASEAN and the Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India.