India assured technical assistance to Myanmar in the field of agriculture particularly for key crops like rice and pulses.

The assurance was given by Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat to a visiting Myanmar team led by its president U Thein Sein in New Delhi.

The team comprised Agriculture minister U Myint Maung and entrepreneurs, who interacted with scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute – IARI. According to IARI sources, Myanmar sought Indian help in increasing yield of its key crops of rice and pulses.

The team also sought India's technical assistance in the livestock sector to boost milk productivity.

India is the world's largest milk producer. The sources said the Myanmar President requested New Delhi to send a team of scientists to train his men at Advanced Centre for Agriculture Research and Education set up there with the help of India.