National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in New Delhi on Sunday. This is the Myanmar leader’s first visit to India since he took office in April.
The visit comes less than two months after Min Aung Hlaing took office as president following parliamentary elections held in Myanmar in December and January. The elections were held after years of political turmoil caused by the military coup in February 2021, which ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
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Myanmar remains one of India’s key strategic neighbours, sharing a 1,640-kilometre border with several northeastern states, including Nagaland and Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Min Aung Hlaing on Monday.
According to External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, discussions during the visit are expected to focus on border security, connectivity and other issues of mutual interest.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the Myanmar President to discuss key aspects of the bilateral partnership, including connectivity and trade.
The visit gains importance amid New Delhi’s efforts to enhance communication with Myanmar within the framework of the Neighborhood First policy and to enhance cooperation in areas related to security, infrastructure and regional stability.
Earlier, on the sidelines of the First International Security Forum and the 14th Meeting of High Representatives for Security Affairs in Moscow earlier this week, Doval met with Myanmar’s National Security Advisor Tin Aung San. The two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in the areas of security, defense and communication, while also exchanging views on regional developments.
These meetings confirm India’s continued communication with its eastern neighbor within the framework of the Neighborhood First policy, with a focus on border management, connectivity projects, and regional stability.
The Myanmar National Security Agency is also expected to visit India in July to participate in the fifth meeting of National Security Advisors of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), providing another opportunity for both sides to deepen strategic cooperation.
