India- Myanmar Relations

Myanmar is one of India’s strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of north-eastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

• Myanmar is at the heart of Indian Government’s Act East policy with the India-Myanmar-Thailand Asian Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan multimodal project, a road-river-port cargo transport project, and BIMSTEC.
• India is also working closely with the security forces of Myanmar to target the insurgents operating in the country’s northeast.
• Myanmar is expected to act as the bridge between India and ASEAN, has risen in much significance in the context of India's Act East Policy, and good neighborhood policy.
• Better relations with Myanmar have become crucial for India with China gradually gaining confidence of countries in the region.
• Further India’s completion of the projects with Myanmar would also prove India to be a responsible regional player, thus improving its reliability.
• In terms of security and strategic partnership, several deep sea ports of Myanmar, including Yangon and Dawei, can be crucial for India like Chabahar port in the west.

• Myanmar is on India’s energy security radar on account of its “abundant oil and natural gas” reserves.
• Oil and gas companies ONGC Videsh and GAIL are aggressively scouting for more exploratory blocks in Myanmar.
• Myanmar like the other CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) — represents a rapidly growing economy with rising consumption, strategic location and access, rich natural resources (oil, gas, teak, copper and gemstones), biodiversity and an industrious workforce with low wages.
• And it offers significant opportunities for trade in goods and services, investment and project exports.
• Developmental cooperation: India has committed highest grant-in-aid to Myanmar and is developing four major connectivity projects in Myanmar namely:
• Kaladan multi-modal corridor,
• Repair of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa road
• The Rhi-Tiddim road in the Chin state bordering Mizoram.
• The Archeological Survey of India has also recently restored the Ananda temple, a jewel among all Bagan pagodas.

Capacity building in Myanmar

• Six centres imparting training in diverse subjects, from English language to industrial skills, are running successfully in Myanmar.
• The Myanmar Institute of Information Technology set up in Mandalay with the collaboration of IIIT Bangalore has been a success with all its graduates finding ready employment.

Commercial Cooperation

• India is the fifth largest trading partner of Myanmar and is presently the tenth largest investor with major investments in oil & gas sector.

Defence & Security Cooperation

• Various MoUs on Border Cooperation, training, Army, Air Force and Naval Staff Talks have been signed between the two countries

Disaster Relief

• India has responded promptly and effectively to assist Myanmar in humanitarian relief operations following natural calamities along with financial assistance for relief and reconstruction work.

Land Crossing Agreement:

Recently agreement between India and Myanmar on Land Border Crossing has also been agreed which will

• Facilitate regulation and harmonization of already existing free movement rights for people ordinarily residing in the border areas of both countries increasing connectivity and social and economic interaction among the people.
• Opening of international entry-exit checkpoints at the Tamu-Moreh and the Rihkhawdar-Zowkhawtar border between Myanmar and India
• It would allow India to leverage its geographical connections with Myanmar to boost trade and economy of the North-East.
• The Agreement will safeguard the traditional rights of the largely tribal communities residing along the border which are accustomed to free movement across the land border.

Important issues between the two

• The Rohingya crisis: India does not directly engage with the issue of Myanmar’s treatment of its Rohingya Muslim minority. But India condemned the recent terrorist attacks in northern Rakhine State in a measure of support to Myanmar. Further both sides agreed that there will be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs.
• India in 2017 abstained from voting on a UN Committee’s resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar in regard to the Rohingya Muslim minority.
• The resolution urged Myanmar to grant access to UN fact finding teams and called for full and unhindered humanitarian aid access to Rakhine State. It also asked Myanmar to grant full citizenship rights to the Rohingyas and urged U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, to appoint a Special Envoy to negotiate with Myanmar.
• Internal Security is a major concern for India; Indo-Myanmar border is porous and lightly policed which is exploited by terrorist outfits and insurgent groups from North Eastern part of India eg. supply of trained cadres, arms trafficking.
• China factor: As China’s profile continues to rise in India’s vicinity, New Delhi would like to enhance India’s presence by developing infrastructure and connectivity projects in the country. India has found it difficult to counter Chinese influence in Myanmar.
• Project Delays: India is losing friends because of widespread discontent over continuing delay in completion of flagship projects — Kaladan and the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway. Conceived over a decade back, but still not operational
• Despite mutual consensus on the value of people-to-people exchanges, actual progress is negligible due to the absence of an enabling instrument.
• Recent Military takeover and curb on democracy; India called on for democratic government through QUAD joint statement
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