New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi today met Myanmar leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and underlined the importance of early restoration of the democratic process in the country, including through credible and inclusive elections.
Hlaing is the chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar – the military junta which is in power in the country. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
“Met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Once again expressed condolences on the loss of lives and damage to property in the wake of the recent earthquake. India is doing whatever is possible to assist our sisters and brothers of Myanmar in this critical time,” Modi wrote on X.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders discussed the situation in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, including India’s ongoing efforts under “Operation Brahma” to provide humanitarian aid, disaster relief and medical assistance to Myanmar. Hlaing, said the MEA, expressed his gratitude for India’s assistance efforts while Modi reportedly said that as the First Responder, India stands with Myanmar in this time of crisis and is ready to deploy more material assistance and resources if required.
Notably, the prime minister is learned to have brought up the political situation in Myanmar, stressing on the importance of early restoration of a democratic process through inclusive and credible elections. The MEA said that Modi added that India supported efforts aimed at fostering trust and advancing a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led transition towards a peaceful, stable and democratic future.
Modi also, seemingly, discouraged a military solution to ethnic violence in the state.
“Alluding to the human cost of the ongoing ethnic violence in Myanmar, PM underlined that there was no military solution to the conflict and stressed that enduring peace could only be achieved through an inclusive dialogue,” the MEA’s statement said.
Modi also thanked Myanmar for the rescue and repatriation of Indian nationals from cyber-scam centres along the Myanmar–Thailand border and discussed ongoing India-supported infrastructure development projects in Myanmar.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that both leaders also agreed on the importance of cooperating on matters such as activities of insurgent groups along the borders, transnational crimes, and human trafficking along the India-Myanmar border.
