India, Myanmar renew strategic partnership with focus on connectivity, security and economic cooperation

By Aroonim Bhuyan

New Delhi, June 1. India and Myanmar have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening a multifaceted partnership spanning connectivity, trade, security, development cooperation and cultural exchanges, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing outlining an ambitious agenda to strengthen bilateral ties during a bilateral summit in New Delhi on June 1.

The visit, President Min Aung Hlaing’s first official trip to India since assuming office, comes at a critical juncture for both countries as they seek to enhance economic integration, address shared security concerns and advance connectivity projects linking India’s northeastern region with Southeast Asia.

A neighbour of strategic importance

Myanmar occupies a unique place in India’s foreign policy architecture. Sharing a 1,643-km land border with four northeastern Indian states and serving as India’s only land bridge to Southeast Asia, the country sits at the intersection of New Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies.

Increasingly, Myanmar is also becoming central to India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision which seeks to strengthen regional connectivity, security and economic cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

Successive Indian governments have viewed stable and cooperative ties with Myanmar as essential for securing India’s northeastern frontier, combating cross-border insurgency, expanding regional trade and countering strategic competition in the wider region.

Against this backdrop, the summit between Modi and Min Aung Hlaing assumed significance as both sides reviewed bilateral, regional and global developments and sought to chart the future direction of the relationship.

High-level engagements mark visit

President Min Aung Hlaing arrived in India on May 30 leading a high-powered delegation that included ministers responsible for foreign affairs, finance, agriculture, industry and the President’s Office, along with the Governor of Myanmar’s Central Bank.

The delegation also featured business leaders representing sectors ranging from agriculture and pharmaceuticals to energy, banking, construction, information technology, logistics and communications.

Apart from his summit meeting with Prime Minister Modi, the Myanmar leader met President Droupadi Murmu and held interactions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

The extensive engagements reflected New Delhi’s intention to maintain broad-based engagement with Myanmar despite the country’s continuing political and security challenges.

Buddhist heritage and civilisational links

The visit began in Bodh Gaya, where the Myanmar President paid homage at the Mahabodhi Temple, Mahabodhi Meditation Centre and Sujata Temple.

The choice of itinerary highlighted the enduring Buddhist and civilisational ties that form one of the strongest foundations of India-Myanmar relations.

Buddhism has long served as a cultural bridge between the two nations, with Myanmar being home to one of the world’s largest Buddhist populations. Religious tourism, pilgrimage exchanges and cultural interactions continue to provide an important people-to-people dimension to bilateral ties.

Connectivity remains a central priority

One of the major themes of the summit was connectivity, a sector viewed by both governments as critical to unlocking economic opportunities and promoting regional integration.

Prime Minister Modi emphasised that improved connectivity would generate mutually beneficial economic linkages and contribute to shared prosperity across the region.

Both sides reiterated the importance of completing two flagship infrastructure initiatives: the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.

The Kaladan project is designed to connect India’s eastern seaboard with Myanmar’s Rakhine State and onward to Mizoram through a combination of sea, river and road transport networks. The project is expected to provide an alternative route to India’s landlocked northeastern region.

Similarly, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is intended to establish seamless road connectivity between India and mainland Southeast Asia, forming a cornerstone of New Delhi’s Act East strategy.

The renewed emphasis on these projects comes amid delays caused by security challenges and instability in several parts of Myanmar. Their completion is widely viewed as essential for expanding trade, improving regional connectivity and integrating India’s Northeast with broader Asian markets.

Trade and economic cooperation gather momentum

Economic cooperation figured prominently in the discussions.

The two countries agreed to facilitate greater bilateral trade and welcomed the growing utilisation of the rupee-kyat settlement mechanism that became operational in May 2024.

The local currency trade arrangement has been seen as an important step towards reducing transaction costs, enhancing financial connectivity and promoting bilateral commerce.

Both governments also expressed support for deeper trade and investment engagement in sectors such as agro-processing, petroleum, energy and mining, subject to their respective regulatory frameworks.

To advance business-to-business cooperation, the Myanmar President addressed an India-Myanmar Business Conclave jointly organised by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The event brought together leading business figures from both countries to explore opportunities for expanding commercial partnerships.

President Min Aung Hlaing also visited the NTPC Energy Technology Research Alliance facility in Greater Noida, where he was briefed on Indian advances in clean energy technologies, renewable energy integration, energy efficiency and grid resilience.

The visit reflected Myanmar’s interest in leveraging Indian expertise in energy innovation and sustainable development.

Security cooperation remains a key pillar

Security cooperation has long been an important component of India-Myanmar relations.

The two countries have collaborated extensively in addressing cross-border insurgency, transnational crime, narcotics trafficking and illegal movement across their shared frontier.

During the summit, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s support for Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while both sides stressed the importance of ensuring that their territories are not used for activities detrimental to each other’s security interests.

President Min Aung Hlaing reiterated Myanmar’s commitment that its territory would not be allowed to be used against India’s security concerns.

The assurance assumes particular significance given India’s longstanding efforts to curb insurgent activities along its northeastern border and maintain stability in border regions.

Modi described India as a steadfast and trusted partner of Myanmar and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral security cooperation.

Support for peace and national reconciliation

The summit took place amid continuing efforts to stabilise Myanmar following years of internal conflict and political upheaval.

Prime Minister Modi expressed support for Myanmar-led efforts aimed at achieving peace, stability, national reconciliation and socio-economic development.

India also offered continued assistance and cooperation in support of those objectives, emphasising that such engagement would be based on mutual respect and longstanding friendship between the two countries.

The remarks assume added significance in light of India’s growing diplomatic efforts to encourage dialogue among Myanmar’s various stakeholders and create conditions conducive to long-term stability.

New Delhi views peace and reconciliation in Myanmar as essential not only for the country’s own future but also for regional security, border management and the successful implementation of major connectivity projects.

Investing in human resource development

Education and capacity building emerged as another important area of cooperation.

In a significant gesture, Prime Minister Modi announced that the number of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation scholarships offered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to Myanmar students would increase from 36 to 100 annually beginning in 2026.

The move is expected to strengthen educational exchanges and help develop future generations of professionals familiar with India.

Such initiatives form part of India’s broader strategy of using capacity-building and human resource development as instruments of regional engagement.

Looking beyond New Delhi

The visit was not confined to political and diplomatic engagements in the Indian capital.

Following his meetings in New Delhi, President Min Aung Hlaing will travel to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to meet the governor of Maharashtra and the state’s chief minister, while also engaging with Indian industry representatives.

The Mumbai leg of the visit is aimed at promoting investment opportunities and strengthening economic cooperation between Myanmar and India’s commercial sector.

A relationship poised for expansion

The official visit concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to maintaining close engagement at all levels and further expanding cooperation across strategic, economic, cultural and developmental sectors.

For India, engagement with Myanmar remains indispensable to the success of its Act East policy, regional connectivity ambitions and security objectives in the Northeast. For Myanmar, India continues to represent an important development partner, source of investment, educational opportunities and strategic support.

As geopolitical competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific and both countries seek to accelerate economic growth, the Modi-Min Aung Hlaing summit underscored a shared determination to preserve and strengthen one of South and Southeast Asia’s most consequential bilateral partnerships.

President Min Aung Hlaing thanked the Indian leadership for the hospitality extended to him and his delegation and invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Myanmar at mutually convenient dates, signalling the intention of both governments to sustain the momentum in bilateral relations in the years ahead.