India has recently offered humanitarian support to neighboring country Myanmar by providing 10 lakh doses of ‘Made in India’ coronavirus vaccines. In addition, a grant of 10,000 tonnes of rice and wheat is also part of the assistance. This act marks the first occurrence of an Indian Foreign Secretary visiting Myanmar since the military deposed the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on 1st February 2021.
India’s stance is evident in calling for the earliest return of democracy in the country, release of political prisoners and advocacy for conflict resolution through dialogue. India also enforced the need for absolute cessation of all violence. It has bolstered its unwavering support towards ASEAN initiative and expressed optimism about pragmatic and constructive progress, based on a five-point consensus.
India’s Support for Developmental Projects in Myanmar
India has continued to support socio-economic developmental projects in Myanmar, including those in the border areas between the two countries. The commitment further extends to the expeditious implementation of ongoing connectivity initiatives such as the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project and the Trilateral Highway.
India also reiterated its commitment to continue projects under the Rakhine State Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme for the benefit of the people of Myanmar. It has emphasized that the peace and security in the North East states of India can be impacted if there is instability in Myanmar.
The Deep-Rooted India-Myanmar Ties
The relationship between India and Myanmar officially began with the Treaty of Friendship signed in 1951 and was reinforced during Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit in 1987. The ties between the two nations span across cultural, historical, ethnic, and religious aspects, besides sharing a long geographical land border and maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
Myanmar is geopolitically significant to India given its central location in the India-Southeast Asia geography. Consequently, Myanmar emerged as the only Southeast Asian country sharing a land border with northeastern India, and also a 725-km maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
Foreign Policy Doctrines and Competition with China
Myanmar serves as an integral part of India’s foreign policy doctrines – “Neighborhood First” and its “Act East” policy. It functions as a crucial land bridge connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia. However, India and China’s competition for influence in Myanmar has become a significant aspect of regional politics. With India aiming to cement its influence in the region, it has taken up initiatives such as developing the Sittwe port in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, in response to China’s Kyaukpyu port project.
National Security Interests and Economic Cooperation
India’s North-eastern states are often threatened by left-wing extremism and narcotics trade routes. To counter these threats, joint military operations such as Operation Sunshine have been carried out by the Indian and Myanmar armies. In terms of economic cooperation, several Indian companies have entered into major economic and trade agreements in areas like infrastructure. Companies such as Essar, GAIL, and ONGC Videsh Ltd. have made considerable investments in Myanmar’s energy sector.
The Path Forward
Despite the advocacy for restoring democratic processes, both bilaterally and at multilateral fora, India needs to engage with the army in Myanmar to address its concerns. India’s initiative—“Buddhist Circuit”—which aims to double foreign tourist arrivals and revenue by connecting ancient Buddhist heritage sites across different states, should find resonance in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
The early resolution of the Rohingya issue will simplify the management of India’s relations with Myanmar and Bangladesh, thereby enabling a stronger focus on bilateral and subregional economic cooperation. Cooperation in multilateral forums such as ASEAN and BIMSTEC further strengthens the relationship between both nations.