Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing Visits New Delhi, Meets NSA Doval and PM Modi in Strategic Reset
Myanmar’s Military-Backed President Makes First India Visit Since Taking Office
Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for his first official visit to India since assuming the presidency in April, meeting National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar ahead of scheduled talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
The visit comes less than two months after Min Aung Hlaing was installed as President following parliamentary elections held in December and January — polls widely regarded as a legitimising exercise by the military junta that seized power in a February 2021 coup, ousting the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Border Security and Connectivity Top the Agenda
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that discussions would centre on border security, connectivity, and bilateral trade. Jaishankar’s earlier meeting with the Myanmar President covered key facets of the partnership, including infrastructure links and economic cooperation.
Myanmar occupies a critical position in India’s strategic calculus. The two countries share a 1,640-kilometre border running alongside several northeastern states, including Nagaland and Manipur — regions that have experienced significant cross-border security pressures in recent years.
India’s Neighbourhood First Policy Drives Engagement
New Delhi has maintained engagement with Naypyidaw under its Neighbourhood First policy, prioritising border management, connectivity projects, and regional stability even as Western governments have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military leadership.
The diplomatic outreach has been multilateral. Earlier this week, Doval met Myanmar’s own National Security Adviser, Tin Aung San, on the sidelines of the first International Security Forum and the 14th Meeting of High Representatives for Security Matters in Moscow. The two sides reviewed cooperation in security, defence, and connectivity.
BIMSTEC Meeting to Deepen Strategic Ties Further
The engagement is set to continue beyond this visit. Myanmar’s NSA is expected to travel to India in July to participate in the fifth meeting of National Security Advisers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
The back-to-back diplomatic interactions signal that India is prioritising a structured, multi-track relationship with Myanmar — one that balances strategic imperatives along its northeastern frontier with the realities of engaging a government that came to power through military force.
