‘Conveyed full range of security concerns’: India on fighting in Myanmar

The India-Myanmar meeting was held at a time when anti-junta resistance forces have scored several successes against Myanmar’s military in parts of the country

NEW DELHI: India has informed Myanmar of its full range of security concerns, especially challenges on the border such as refugee flows, following a surge in fighting between resistance forces and government troops in recent weeks.

Members of an ethnic armed forces group, one of the three militias known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance, check an army armoured vehicle the group allegedly seized from Myanmar's army outpost in Shan state (The Kokang online media via AP)

These matters figured in the India-Myanmar foreign office consultations held in New Delhi on Wednesday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a regular media briefing on Thursday. The Indian side has been encouraging Myanmar that a peaceful resolution or a return to democracy is the way forward, he said in response to questions on the situation in the neighbouring country.

During the foreign office consultations, the Indian side “put out how we see the developments” in Myanmar. “As we’ve said earlier, developments in Myanmar of this kind are a matter of concern for us,” Bagchi said.

“In addition, what I can tell you is that we discussed the full range of security concerns, particularly challenges faced on the border, including refugee flows,” he said. “On a larger perspective, we have always been encouraging that...peace there or a resolution or a return to democracy is the way forward that we see.”

Bagchi declined to comment on reports of a series of military successes by resistance forces that have increased pressure on Myanmar’s junta and said: “That’s not the issue. We would like to see a peaceful [situation]. The issue that we’re facing on our border and the security implications of that, we have spoken at length about this in the past.”

Bagchi also referred to the security implications of drug trafficking, other forms of trafficking and refugee flows. “This is an issue that came up in the conversation, as also other challenges in managing the border,” he said.

During the foreign office consultations, India expressed support for Myanmar’s transition towards a federal democracy. A readout from the external affairs ministry said the two sides discussed a wide range of issues, including the situation along the border, security, trade, connectivity, the status of bilateral development projects in Myanmar, and concerns related to transnational crimes.

The Indian side also expressed its “continued support to people-centric socio-economic developmental projects, including connectivity projects and projects” under the Rakhine State Development Programme and the Border Area Development Programme for the benefit of the people of Myanmar.

The meeting was held at a time when anti-junta resistance forces drawn from diverse ethnic groups have scored several successes against Myanmar’s military in different parts of the country, including strategic regions located near the borders with China and India. Thousands of Myanmar nationals, including security personnel, have travelled across the border to Mizoram and Manipur in recent days to escape the fighting.