Yangon, Aug 1 (IANS): The goodwill visit by Myanmar's military ruler Senior General Than Shwe to India was a great milestone for bilateral cooperation and friendship between the two countries, Myanmar's official media said Sunday.

The five-day visit by Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, which was aimed at bolstering friendship between the two governments and the people of Myanmar and India, will provide further impetus for friendly relations, Myanmar's official daily New Light of Myanmar said in its editorial.

Than Shwe visited India July 25-29, and met with Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. Many bilateral treaties were signed during the visit.

The visit would also help in improving geographical and cultural relations between the two countries, it said.

Friendly relations between the two countries have been further cemented thanks to reciprocal visits of state leaders of the two neighbours, the editorial said.