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India, Australia discuss situation in Myanmar post military coup
India has close ties with both the civilian and military leadership of Myanmar, and the security relationship between the two countries is crucial in view of concerns related to militant groups from the northeastern states that have bases in Myanmar.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne discussed the situation in Myanmar following a military coup and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines during a conversation on Thursday.
The development reflected the growing coordination between the four members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad on the situation in Myanmar, where the military removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and assumed power for a year under a state of emergency.
“Today @DrSJaishankar and I discussed the situation in Myanmar, equitable & safe access to vaccines and taking forward our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Payne said in a tweet.
Australia and India will “work more closely than ever on our shared objectives in the Indo-Pacific” in 2021, she said, without giving details.
Jaishankar tweeted that he and Payne had discussed developments in the Indo-Pacific and exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar. “Also on making vaccines accessible & affordable. And a bit of cricket,” he added.
Developments in Myanmar had figured in a phone conversation between Jaishankar and US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Tuesday. Blinken had expressed concern at the coup and the importance of rule of law and the democratic process.
Blinken also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation with allies and partners of the US to address the military coup in Myanmar during a phone call with Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Wednesday.
Unlike the US, which announced sanctions on Wednesday against the military leaders involved in last week's coup in Myanmar, India has adopted a more cautious position and called for the democratic process to be upheld.
India has close ties with both the civilian and military leadership of Myanmar, and the security relationship between the two countries is crucial in view of concerns related to militant groups from the northeastern states that have bases in Myanmar. India’s armed forces have worked with Myanmar’s military in recent years to pressure these groups and push them to the negotiating table.
