Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reach out to Mynamar as part of India’s ‘Look East Policy’ and asserting to stand-by it surely would bring the desired dividends especially seen in the light of operations against insurgent groups who have in the past set up safe havens on Myanmarese territory and have hit targets in the northeast. The first high-level contact after Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) took over saw Modi assuring Myanmar President Htin Kyaw that India will remain a reliable partner in pursuing security and development goals. The two countries reiterated their commitment not to allow insurgent groups to use their soil for hostile activities. The look east policy conceived by former Prime Minister I.K Gujral was to forge social, economic and cultural relations with the countries of East Asia by renewing political contacts and understanding with ASEAN member states, to achieve enhanced economic interactions and to strengthen defence and strategic links with these countries to achieve better understanding. India also assured full support to the peace process initiative under the ’21st century Panglong conference’. This is an initiative by Suu Kyi to bring three armed rebel groups to the negotiating table with China’s help. China has had a key role in pushing groups it has armed to join a peace conference in a bid to strike a rapport with Suu Kyi. But its actions are seen to be driven by both a concern over rise in smuggling and an attempt to grab a stake in building roads and railways in northern Myanmar. Recognising that Myanmar must be mindful of China’s clout with rebels and its economic muscle, India is looking to present itself as an ally whose interests are truly in synergy with Myanmar in areas of security and development. Looking to deepen ties with Myanmar, a theatre of geopolitical competition between India and China, India is willing to increase power supply to Myanmar, pointing to specific areas of cooperation like the Kaladan Project, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway, an IT institute and an advanced centre of agricultural research and other initiatives in health, education and industrial training.
