Strengthening India-Myanmar ties is a priority
The four day state visit of the Myanmarese President U Htin Kyaw to India, as his first foreign tour after becoming President, must be treated as a critical opportunity for cementing ties and exploring new avenues of engagement. The timing of the visit is good for both New Delhi and Naypyidaw when the former is trying to rein in on the ultras of the North East and the latter, is just gearing up for the national reconciliation and peace process for bringing the three rebel groups under the 21st century Panglong Conference.
Sadly, Narendra Modi's support for this unique initiative of the Government of the National league for Democracy (NlD), mainly espoused by Aung San Suu Kyi, came after China scored a diplomatic victory when the democracy icon chose to visit that country first over India recently. However, the big picture should not be missed — as these three ethnic insurgent groups mostly draw support from China and also operate from the China-Myanmar border lines, hence securing the middle kingdom's support was both crucial and timely. Besides, the recent visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Myanmar last week was the first high level official tour after the NlD Government came to power in April, but India should have considered re-building the diplomatic and political tie-ups immediately after the democratic Government of NlD took over power. But despite the physical proximity and the close historical relationship of the past, India should have been very careful in grabbing the ever greater opportunity brought by the NlD Government, instead of pitching in once China showed the way.
Both the nations highlighted the alignment of the security interests and agreed to keep vigil on each other's strategic concerns, this must be a good beginning for relooking at the bilateral relations as it was almost stalled for quite some time during the long spell of military rule in Myanmar.
Equally significant is the reiteration of both the neighbours commitment towards not to allow their soil for any terrorist activities will go a long way in nabbing the last remains of the North East militants like United liberation Front of Assam, National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, and National Democratic Front of Bodoland-IK Sangbijit to name a few. Recognising the ever expanding intentions of the current Xi Jinping regime which came to power in 2012, India must approach Myanmar carefully wherein China has been investing and making the image of a big brother, when that country was largely framed as a ‘pariah nation' under the long rule of the Tatmadaw.
Meanwhile New Delhi is signing some major memorandums of understanding with Naypyidaw in the field of connectivity, medicine and renewable energy which will help contributing to the developmental efforts of the poverty-stricken nation. Besides cross border strategic ties, India must use Kyaw's visit to explore new areas like education, institution building and more particularly strengthening of people-to-people relationship between the two nations. It seems Myanmar, which is opening its economy to the rest of the world, despite having all the remnants of the junta rule, is already becoming a new theatre of power play. With India, America, Australia, China making fast moves, Myanmar will be soon caught in the big power games for sure. Whatsoever it may be, India must have its own place in Myanmar.
