PM Modi meets Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing amid rare earth push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with Myanmar junta chief and President Min Aung Hlaing at Hyderabad House as the latter commenced his five-day visit to India. The visit from the Junta chief is being considered crucial in reshaping the ties between India and Myanmar against the backdrop of growing Chinese influence in the Southeast Asian region.

With this, the two leaders are set to hold talks on numerous key issues that would aim to establish re-engagement with Myanmar five years after the military leadership toppled a democratically elected government.

It is important to note that this visit marked Min Aung Hlaing’s first foreign trip since assuming office as the country's president earlier this year. The visit is also coming at a time when Myanmar is seeking to revive itself from diplomatic isolation while India looks to strengthen its influence and dilute China’s outsized influence on the nation.

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On Sunday, Hlaing held talks with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The talks focused on key security challenges along the India-Myanmar border, including insurgency, illegal immigration and cross-border trafficking.

Why it matters

On Saturday, Hlaing arrived in Bihar’s Bodh Gaya, where he was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising several Cabinet Ministers, senior officials and business leaders.

The visit is aimed at promoting collaboration in multiple areas. One of the biggest driving forces of the visit is China and its growing influence in the region.

India sees Myanmar as a critical neighbour in its efforts to counterbalance China’s growing presence. New Delhi is particularly interested in expanding cooperation with the Asian nation in trade, infrastructure, connectivity and access to strategic resources.