EAM Jaishankar meets Myanmar President Aung Hlaing, discusses trade, connectivity and regional peace

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held talks with Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing, focusing on ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation across sectors including trade, connectivity and regional security.

The meeting took place shortly after the Myanmar leader arrived in India for a five-day visit aimed at deepening ties between the two neighbouring countries. His trip began with a visit to the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya before he travelled to New Delhi for official engagements.

Following the meeting, Jaishankar said the discussions reflected the positive trajectory of India-Myanmar relations.

The Myanmarese leader is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising several cabinet ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

”Appreciate his positive sentiment towards deepening our longstanding bilateral cooperation,” Jaishankar said on social media after the meeting.

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”Look forward to his meeting with PM @narendramodi to advance our partnership for peace, progress and prosperity,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with Aung Hlaing on Monday.

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received the Myanmar president at the Delhi airport.

”His visit underscores the enduring civilisational, cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Myanmar,” Singh said.

”It also provides an opportunity to further strengthen our partnership across diverse sectors and advance our shared vision for regional peace, prosperity and connectivity,” he said on X.

Aung Hlaing’s visit to India comes less than two months after he became the President following Myanmar’s parliamentary elections.

The elections were held in December and January after years of protests against the ruling military-junta that seized power in a coup on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

MoS Singh had represented India at Aung Hlaing’s inauguration as the President last month. He effectively ran Myanmar over the last five years, helming the military rule.

Aung Hlaing was earlier scheduled to visit New Delhi to participate in the International Big Cat Alliance Summit on June 1, which has been deferred.

”President U Min Aung Hlaing will hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 1 on further strengthening the historical and civilisational ties between the two countries. He will also participate in a business forum,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The Myanmarese president will also travel to Mumbai on June 2 for business and industry interactions and site visits.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said at his weekly media briefing on Friday that issues relating to border security and connectivity, among others, would be discussed during the Myanmarese leader’s trip to India.

”Regarding border security, connectivity and other issues, all matters that form part of the gamut of relations between India and Myanmar will come up for discussions. Our idea is to take our friendly, civilisational ties forward,” he had said.

Jaiswal said Myanmar lies at the ”confluence” of India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR policies.

People familiar with the Myanmarese leader’s visit said ways to expand defence and trade ties will be a major focus area of talks between the two sides.

PM Modi announced the MAHASAGAR vision — ’Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’ — for India’s engagement with the Global South during his visit to Mauritius in March last year.

With inputs from agencies