Myanmar Assures India Its Soil Will Not Be Used Against Indian Interests | IGR | India Global Review

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:01]Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I welcome you to this special press briefing by foreign secretary Shri Vikram Misri on the ongoing official visit of the president of Myanmar for this special press briefing. He is joined by our ambassador to Myanmar, Shri Abhay Thakur, as also by Shri B. Shyam joint secretary BM in the Ministry of External Affairs.

[00:00:28]With that, I hand over the floor to foreign secretary for his initial remarks. Sir.

[00:00:33]>> Thank you, Randhir. Thank you all for joining this afternoon. I'm sorry for the delay, but the talks went on for slightly longer than scheduled.

[00:00:42]Um as you're aware, at the invitation of the honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the president of Myanmar, His Excellency U Win Myint, is is on an official visit to India from the 30th of May till the 3rd of June 2026 You would be aware that he was scheduled to be here for the International Big Cat Alliance Summit, which had to be deferred for unavoidable reasons, but the opportunity was taken for having him here for discussions on our bilateral relations.

[00:01:23]India also happens to be the first country that the Myanmar president is visiting since he assumed office as president in April 2026.

[00:01:35]And uh Myanmar is an important country.

[00:01:38]It's a neighbor with whom we share a border of 1,643 km.

[00:01:45]It sits at the confluence of India's neighborhood first Act East as well as uh Mahasagar and Indo-Pacific policies.

[00:01:58]Uh the Myanmar president is accompanied by a high-powered delegation. He has with him uh five cabinet ministers, three deputy ministers, uh and other senior officials. A large business delegation is also uh accompanying him as are members of [snorts] the Myanmar India Friendship uh Association.

[00:02:18]Uh now, you might have seen uh day before yesterday en route to Delhi, uh the Myanmar president stopped over in Bodh Gaya uh where he offered prayers and visited the Mahabodhi Temple, the Mahabodhi Dharma Yatra Monastery, and the Sujata Temple. And these visits, this stopover, just goes to illustrate the deep-seated uh Buddhist link, uh religious links between uh our two countries, as well as the very strong people-to-people ties between the two uh countries.

[00:02:51]This morning, uh the uh Prime Minister and uh the President of Myanmar uh held uh detailed uh talks on the entire gamut of uh bilateral issues, which covered uh trade and economic ties, our defense and security-related issues, uh border management, uh development assistance, uh cultural exchanges, uh as well as the regional uh situation.

[00:03:22]And both sides expressed an interest in forging closer cooperation, uh particularly in the areas of trade and investment, in development cooperation, uh in health, in education, uh in energy, uh and in uh some uh areas related to advanced technology, for instance, artificial intelligence and the space uh sector.

[00:03:46]We will be issuing a more uh detailed joint statement later in the afternoon, which will provide you with more details of the discussions.

[00:03:55]Uh both sides underlined the importance of connectivity for people-to-people contacts and agreed to work uh as quickly as possible towards the completion of the uh Kaladan uh multimodal transit transport project as well as the uh Kalewa-Yargyi segment of the India-Myanmar-Thailand uh trilateral highway.

[00:04:23]The Prime Minister reaffirmed uh India's support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. And both sides underscored the importance of preventing the misuse of sovereign territory for activities inimical to their security interests. And the President of Myanmar in particular reiterated uh the assurance that uh Myanmar's territory would not be permitted to be used against India's security uh interests.

[00:04:54]Uh in the afternoon today, uh in a short while from now, in fact, uh Honorable Rashtrapati Ji will receive the President of Myanmar.

[00:05:02]Uh earlier day before yesterday, the External Affairs Minister of India had called on the President and yesterday the National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval also uh called on the President uh here in Delhi.

[00:05:17]The Myanmar President also attended an uh India-Myanmar business conclave, which was jointly organized by the Union of Myanmar uh Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry uh on the Myanmar side and by CII and FICCI on the Indian side. This took place here in New Delhi yesterday and gave the opportunity to both sides to exchange thoughts on trade and commerce.

[00:05:43]Bilateral trade between [clears throat] India and Myanmar stands at slightly over $2 billion which comprises slightly over $600 million of exports by Myanmar and about $1.5 billion in exports by India.

[00:06:03]Uh Sorry, it's the other way around. Our exports are slightly over $600 million and Myanmar's exports are slightly over $1.5 billion.

[00:06:12]Uh the president of Myanmar also uh took the opportunity uh yesterday to visit the NTPC Energy Technology Center uh in Greater Noida.

[00:06:23]He will be uh leaving for Mumbai tomorrow where uh among others he will visit uh the Jawaharlal Nehru uh Port Trust and the uh Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj uh International Airport uh in the city.

[00:06:39]Uh The focus uh obviously of that part of the visit is uh technology, energy, and infrastructure uh cooperation.

[00:06:50]Overall, uh this visit by the president has once again reaffirmed the shared commitment of both sides to deepen their long-standing partnership and to work together for mutual benefit, growth, and prosperity uh in the region. The Myanmar president also uh extended an invitation to Prime Minister to visit Myanmar uh at mutually uh convenient dates. So, let me stop there. We don't have a whole lot of time available, but I'd be happy to answer a few questions in the time that is available. Thank you.

[00:07:26]>> Thank you, sir.

[00:07:27]We now open the floor for questions.

[00:07:29]We'll begin with Nayanima, yeah.

[00:07:34]>> I'm Nayanima Basu, independent journalist. Thank you for doing this. Uh Foreign Secretary, if I can ask you, were there any discussions on Aung San Suu Kyi, what is happening with her and the uh you know, the democratic principles, what's happening to democracy there. Thank you so much.

[00:07:48]>> Siddhant.

[00:07:51]>> Hi sir, Siddhant from beyond. Sir, you mentioned about defense cooperation.

[00:07:54]What is the defense cooperation which we're looking at between India and Myanmar?

[00:07:59]>> Ayushi.

[00:08:01]>> Uh sir, good afternoon. This is Ayushi Agarwal from ANI. Uh sir, was there any discussion on enhancing economic cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths like uh India exploring Myanmar's rare earth resources? And second, sir, did cyber scam networks and trafficking of Indian nationals feature in the talks between the two leaders and has India sought stronger cooperation from Myanmar to crack down on such operations? Thank you.

[00:08:25]>> Mhm.

[00:08:28]Shruti, you had a question? Please.

[00:08:31]>> Uh sir, you just spoke about the Kaladan multi project and also the trilateral highway.

[00:08:37]If you could give us an understanding where it is and what kind of promises or assurances Myanmar has extended because these projects are stalled. That is is what we understand.

[00:08:48]>> Keshav, you have a question? Please.

[00:08:51]>> Thank you, Foreign Secretary. Keshav Padmanabhan from The Print. Uh just wanted to Were there any discussions on the internal security situation in Myanmar and what has sort of India reiterated? I know in the past it has supported a Myanmar-led solution. So, what was sort of the discussions between the two leaders on the current situation in the country?

[00:09:13]>> So, we can take these questions.

[00:09:17]Uh okay.

[00:09:21]Nayanima, your question related to Aung San Suu Kyi.

[00:09:26]Uh let me say that uh the uh Prime Minister did uh raise this matter uh with the President and this was a discussion that was largely in the context of the peace process that is or has been underway in Myanmar for quite some time. The effort to bring in all the ethnic groups onto the same platform and find a way forward within a united Myanmar. This is something that you're aware has been going on for a long period of time. There isn't yet final agreement between all stakeholders. And in the context of the points that the Prime Minister was making on the need for as Myanmar finds its way back towards democracy, the need for uh an enduring peace in the country. The need for inclusion, the need to have all stakeholders at the table. And to examine the points of views of all the interlocutors who have been part of this process over a long period of time.

[00:10:50]So that essentially essentially you know it was a bit of a free-wheeling discussion on that issue and that is where issues related to democracy etc. were also raised. I should underline that you know I mean our engagement with Myanmar is is not intended to be a commentary on the internal political arrangements in that country. We have always proceeded on the principle that sustained dialogue is is what is important. And what is an imperative for India as a neighbor. And the answer is clearly not disengagement. History has shown that disengagement doesn't uh give us any results that are better than engagement, and it certainly doesn't produce democratic change if that is what we are uh interested in. On the other hand, disengagement only produces a vacuum that others go on to fill that to our detriment.

[00:11:57]And those others have no interest in democracy, I can assure you about that.

[00:12:02]So, we have consistently engaged, and while engaging, we have always put forward our thoughts on all of these issues related to democracy, related to the peace process, related to inclusion, and to the absolute importance of having all stakeholders as part of the dialogue at the table.

[00:12:23]Uh Siddhant, on your uh question related to defense cooperation, this is something that has been in um uh focus for several years now.

[00:12:40]And mostly, the defense cooperation with Myanmar focuses on training, uh on capacity building, uh on institution building. Uh and a very important part of the training is in the context also of UN peacekeeping. So, we have been training Myanmar troops in the uh uh tasks of UN peacekeeping.

[00:13:05]Uh and obviously, as I mentioned earlier, we have a 1,643 km long border. There are important defense and security-related interests in the context of that border, and that is also something that gets discussed uh when various mechanisms related to defense cooperation uh together.

[00:13:27]Uh I see your question related to economic cooperation. Uh yes, uh issues related to critical minerals and rare earths did come up during the discussions today. Uh this is something that uh has been a subject uh of uh bilateral discussions for for some time. And today as well, there was an understanding that the two governments and the entities from the two countries would continue to stay in touch, remain in touch on these issues, and take forward uh cooperation uh in in these areas. Uh your point related to cyber scams is a topical one. This is something uh on which we have been cooperating with Myanmar over a period of time.

[00:14:14]Uh if my memory serves me right, over the course of the last year and a half, we have been able to repatriate over 2,200 uh Indian citizens from cyber scam compounds uh in Myanmar, especially in the bordering regions in Southeast uh Myanmar.

[00:14:32]Uh as of now, uh from the latest counts, we have possibly slightly over 150 odd Indian citizens that we know of, about whom we have reports, who are still stuck in some of these cyber scam compounds, and we are trying to uh we are in discussions with the with the Yes, uh it's I've just been told that the number repatriated is over 2,400.

[00:14:58]So, 2,411 uh people have been repatriated. So, uh we are in touch with the Myanmar government uh to try and repatriate the the remaining uh people uh as well. And uh it's it's important to note that, you know, while the Indian nationals remain trapped there, they are usually trafficked there through a third country. And that just underlines the need for not just more bilateral cooperation related to this issue, which is also a security issue between the two countries, but also underlines the need for greater regional cooperation on this matter in this particular region. So, we have this was raised today as well and we have raised it in several other bilateral forums between the two countries.

[00:15:46]There was Yeah, Shuchi, your question on the two significant connectivity-related projects that we have, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit-Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project. You're right, these projects have been underway for several years and they have been delayed in in most cases and certainly right now the obstacle that faces both of these projects is the security situation in Myanmar.

[00:16:25]The Kaladan Highway is in an area where there is where there are active hostilities going on right now between the Myanmar Army and the ethnic armies in Rakhine State whereas the section of the Trilateral Highway where work was underway and has gone on in fits and starts in recent years as well is again in an area where ethnic armed groups and the PDFs are quite active and in engaging in hostilities with the Myanmar Army. So, obviously in these circumstances, it's a little difficult to meet preset targets and dates. Uh nevertheless, we have continued to engage with the Myanmar authorities and wherever there has been a possibility uh to take forward the work by utilizing either lows in fighting or uh by securing making sure that the security of the workers of the teams of workers is not going to be impacted. We have been able to move forward, but this is something that that remains a major priority. It was raised by Prime Minister today with uh the president and the president once again uh gave his assurance that Myanmar would do everything to ensure that these projects moved forward towards completion.

[00:18:09]Um Uh Keshav, your question related to internal security.

[00:18:16]Well, one aspect of internal security is obviously what I have referred to just now in answer to several questions, which is the uh the uh fighting that is going on in in different parts of the country, especially around the peripheries uh between the military and the ethnic armed groups. Uh the other part or other aspect of internal security is obviously the effort by uh the Myanmar state to bring all the uh ethnic armed organizations and the groups uh onto a single platform to advance the peace process, which is essentially an effort to see how the current structure of governance or the system of government that Myanmar has, what kinds of changes might be needed in that so that something is crafted around which there is broad national consensus and then move forward on that basis.

[00:19:21]And this is something in which we have we obviously have an interest because as I have said that you know stability and peace in Myanmar is obviously a major interest for India not just for the security of the northeast and and the safety and security of people living along the 1,643 km long border that we have with them but also for our interest such as connectivity to Southeast Asia.

[00:20:03]And obviously security and stability in Myanmar is also important for the coherence of ASEAN as a whole as well because Myanmar is an important and large country within the ASEAN framework as well. So these security related matters are obviously very important for us. Apart from that of course there is the very important question of the activities of Indian insurgent groups in Myanmar close to our borders and this is something again that the Prime Minister raised with the President and the President once again reiterated his assurance that Myanmar was sensitive to these concerns and again would do everything necessary to ensure that the that there was action against these and these did not become a cause of threat of against the security of of India. So the Uh, the coder to your question about a Myanmar led solution is essentially in the context of the peace process. We have always believed that eventually the difficulties that face, uh, Myanmar will have to be sorted out by the people of Myanmar talking amongst themselves.

[00:21:25]This will have to be a Myanmar led solution and a Myanmar owned, uh, solution. So, uh, the I don't think from the outside anybody has uh, any ready-made solutions to offer uh, Myanmar. Uh, yes, we can offer experiences. We can share experiences and as a matter of fact, that is what India has done and been doing consistently over several years.

[00:21:51]Uh, even as, uh, Myanmar or authorities in Myanmar have sought to uh, you know, learn more about, uh, the system of constitutional governance or uh, federalism as a a form of, uh, governance. Uh, they obviously look next door at India and see an example worth following or emulating. And in this context, uh, the our embassy in uh, Myanmar and uh, the Ministry of External Affairs have been cooperating with uh, authorities in Myanmar to organize uh, workshops and seminars uh, where there is uh, extensive discussion on India's uh, nearly eight decade long experience uh, of uh, constitutional governance of uh, federalism. And uh, I do believe that these are seen as uh, very, very valuable lessons by our friends in Myanmar.

[00:22:56]>> I think we have >> can take last two questions, sir.

[00:22:59]One from here. Neeraj.

[00:23:02]>> Sir, Namaskar may uh, Neeraj Dubey Prabhasakshi say.

[00:23:05]>> Vineet Dixit from >> So, we can take these questions.

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[00:30:23]>> All right.

[00:30:24]>> Thank you, sir. With that, ladies and gentlemen, we come to the close of this press briefing. Thank you very much.