India, Myanmar to combat ‘common’ challenges of terror

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 29

India today stepped up its outreach to Myanmar with both nations deciding to “actively cooperate to combat the common challenges of terrorism and insurgent activity in our region”.

This was stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his statement to the media after holding delegation-level talks with the visiting Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.

India’s engagement with Myanmar assumes greater significance as China plays out its outreach in the background. China has made it clear that it wants to strengthen its relationship with Myanmar and India will have to compete with it for regional influence.

This is the first overseas visit of Htin Kyaw since he assumed office as President in March. India and Myanmar share a 1,640 km border with a number of Northeastern states, including the militancy-infested Nagaland and Manipur. This has also been an area of concern for India which has repeatedly raised this matter with Myanmar that many insurgent groups from the Northeast operate from Myanmar’s territory.

The PM said the security interests of both countries are ‘closely aligned’ and that ‘we agreed on the need to remain sensitive to each other’s strategic interests and concerns’. India has extended nearly $2 billion development assistance to Myanmar to help with the development projects in Myanmar.

Four MoUs were inked today to boost cooperation in connectivity, medicine and renewable energy. The PM also alluded to the development projects India is helping develop in Myanmar. He referred to the Kaladan project, pointing out that its port and waterway segment were nearing completion later this year. “In April this year, we took the small step of supplying power to Tamu in Myanmar. I have told the President that we are willing to substantially scale up our supply of power,” Modi said.

Meanwhile, Mynamar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi chose China as her first overseas visit where she was given a red carpet welcome. She is expected to visit India in October to attend Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). It will provide an excellent opportunity for India’s leadership to forge stronger ties with a strategic neighbour. Chinese state media reported that on Suu Kyi choosing China over India as proof that for Suu Kyi China was seemingly “more significant than India in Myanmar’s diplomacy”.