‘Short-sighted’: India’s realpolitik on Myanmar imperils Asean’s peace plans

Since seizing power in a coup 4 ½ years ago, Myanmar’s military rulers have had a strained relationship with much of the outside world.

Largely shunned by the West, the generals have even struggled for diplomatic recognition within Asean, which has barred the junta from high-level meetings and blocked it from assuming the rotating chairmanship that it was scheduled to take up next year.

But in China late last month, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing chalked up a victory in his quest for validation, meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin.

Modi’s meeting with the coup leader was about more than opening a channel to an isolated general, analysts say – it also signalled New Delhi’s willingness to prioritise hard security interests at the expense of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ efforts to resolve Myanmar’s civil war.

Posting later on social media, the Indian leader said the discussion had focused on areas of cooperation. “Myanmar is a vital pillar of India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First Policies. We both agreed that there is immense scope to boost ties in areas like trade, connectivity, energy, rare earth mining and security,” Modi wrote.