Myanmar Seeks to Revive Ties With Pakistan in First Ministerial Visit Since 2015
New Delhi: Myanmar's foreign minister Than Swe concluded a rare four-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday (January 27) with a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in what marks the first high-level exchange between the two countries in over a decade.
Than Swe met with deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Monday and Sharif on Tuesday in Islamabad.
According to Pakistani media reports, Myanmar's last ministerial visit to Pakistan occurred in 2015 and Pakistan's last top-level visit to Myanmar took place in 2012.
During Monday's meeting with Dar, both sides agreed to expand cooperation in trade, religious tourism, cultural exchanges, capacity building and academic linkages, according to a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry.
The two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a mechanism for regular political consultations between their foreign ministries. Dar described the discussions as “very productive and comprehensive” and that both countries were working on “revitalising” the relationship.
Referring to Pakistan's Buddhist sites, the Pakistani deputy prime minister suggested religious tourism from Myanmar.
“Pakistan supports a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar. We are confident that Myanmar can play a very positive role in creating regional reconciliation, shared prosperity and development for all,” Dar said, as per Dawn.
The talks also covered regional and international security matters, including coordination within the United Nations, ASEAN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the ASEAN Regional Forum, according to Myanmar's state media GNLM.
On Tuesday, Sharif emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in trade, economic engagement, education and people-to-people exchanges, according to an official communique. He appreciated Myanmar's cooperation in combating trafficking and its support for Pakistan's engagement with ASEAN.
Than Swe conveyed greetings from Myanmar's leadership and expressed gratitude for Pakistan's support following the earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand last March, the statement said.
Sources told The Wire that Myanmar could be reaching out against the backdrop of the ongoing International Court of Justice (ICJ) case on the Rohingya genocide, with Pakistan being a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The ICJ began hearings on the merits of the case on January 12, with the Gambia alleging that Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority during military operations in 2017 that forced more than 700,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. Myanmar's military government has denied the allegations.
The visit also follows Myanmar's recent elections held in three phases between December 28 and January 25. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party claimed an overwhelming victory, winning 193 of 209 seats in the lower house and 52 of 78 seats in the upper house according to election commission results.
International observers and the United Nations have dismissed the polls as illegitimate, calling them a sham designed to cement military rule.
Relations between Pakistan and Myanmar had been strained in recent years over Pakistan's criticism of Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingyas at international forums including the OIC and the United Nations.
Despite these tensions, security cooperation has remained a component of bilateral ties. In 2015, Myanmar became the first foreign buyer of the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 ‘Thunder’ fighter jet, ordering 16 aircraft. Pakistan has also provided training to Myanmar's armed forces.
The visit by the Myanmar foreign minister will certainly be noted in New Delhi, which has maintained relations with the military regime since the 2021 coup, primarily to maintain access to Myanmar's military elite and counterbalance China's influence in the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last met with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August 2025.
During the elections, a retired senior Indian army officer was an election observer during the first phase, even though external affairs ministry officials claimed that he had travelled to Myanmar privately.
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