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Editorial on Myanmar and its challenges: Click here

Editorial on Myanmar and its challenges:

Myanmar’s Importance:

1. It is strategically located between Southeast Asia and Southern Asia.
2. It is geo-strategically sandwiched between INDIA and China.
3. Myanmar is linked to north-eastern India and is a vital link in India’s Act East policy.
4. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is once again fighting to win the elections. It raised questions concerning the democratic powers of Myanmar (which is indirectly under the control of the military junta).

Current issues facing Myanmar:

1. The rising tide of majority populism in Myanmar, as a result of which certain Buddhist majority groups persecute Rohingya Muslims (in Rakhine State).
2. Indigenous groups such as Karens, Kachins, Shans, etc are also revolting against the majority Burman
Community Dominance.
3. The increasing influence of China in amplifying the internal disturbances of Myanmar is also an issue as Groups such as the Arakan Army are getting a great deal of help from the Chinese.
4 Additionally, China affects Myanmar in multiple ways because it shares 1,358 miles border with Myanmar.
5 Though, Myanmar has not given a blank cheque to China as it recently cancelled Myitsone dam
construction project in the Kachin region due to rehabilitation and resettlement related issues.

Nowadays, in spite of all the internal and external challenges, Myanmar is very important for India. We’ll look at how:

1. Myanmar is a part of the Bimstec Group.

2. Myanmar is the only South-East Asian country that shares a land border with India. (1624 km approx).

3. It is the only country that sits at the intersection of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and the Act East
Policy. (Myanmar’s stability is a major geostrategic asset for India ).

4. It is the only South-East Asian country that has a separate bureaucratic division ( shared with
Bangladesh ) in India’s External Affairs Ministry.

5. Foreign trade with Myanmar is only about two billion dollars. Myanmar is also important for ASEAN –India Free Trade Agreement. In Trade, much scope is there for improvement.

6. Infrastructure projects such as India, Myanmar, the Thai road, the Kaladan multi-modal project, etc. are also being developed by India.

7. India is seeking to develop the special economic zone in the port of Sittwe, as a direct challenge to the Chinese, the frontier port Kyaukpyu.

8. Both countries conducted two combined military operations – Sunshine 1 and Sunshine 2 to fight.
Militants along the Rakhine state borders.

9. India also provides military training and conducts joint military exercises with the Myanmar Army, for example.
IMBAX- 2017, 2019, by which India had trained Myanmar army to be able to participate in the UN
Peacekeeping forces.

10 India also signed a defence cooperation agreement in 2019.

11 To promote “Make in India”, India identified weapons exports. Myanmar purchased India’s first produced anti-submarine Torpedo called TAL SHYENA. In 2017, and a submarine, INS Sindhuvir.

12 Cultural diplomacy through Buddhist circuits can also help to enhance connections.