Myanmar's promise

The statement by Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing that Myanmar will not allow its territory to be used for anti-India activities is being seen as another diplomatic success for India. The assurance was given during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Such a shift in the position of one of India's neighbouring countries would have been difficult to imagine in the past. If the Myanmar President, who also heads the country's military government, follows through on this commitment, it could help reduce ethnic insurgent attacks in India's northeastern states.

Just a week before the Myanmar President's visit to India, Russia and Afghanistan's Taliban government signed a significant agreement in Moscow. India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was also present in Moscow during this period, a development that many observers do not consider a coincidence. The agreement is seen as a major step toward international recognition for the Taliban government by Russia, one of the world's major powers. Pakistan and Taliban fighters have been involved in frequent clashes in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan has also carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan on several occasions. The new agreement is expected to strengthen the Taliban's position by providing air defence equipment, including portable air defence systems, and training to operate them.

A stronger Taliban could force Pakistan to focus more on its western border and internal security challenges, reducing its ability to create problems along India's borders. Combined with India's growing cooperation with Myanmar, this could help curb activities in India's northeastern region that are allegedly supported by China and contribute to greater stability in the area. It is also noteworthy that President Min Aung Hlaing's first foreign visit after assuming the presidency in April 2026 was to India. India's decision to sign agreements with the military leader who overthrew the democratic government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 has also attracted attention in neighbouring countries that are often considered hostile to India's interests.

One of the most important aspects of the India-Myanmar agreement is cooperation in critical minerals and rare earth mining. The partnership could help reduce China's dominance in the supply of certain strategic minerals, as Myanmar possesses large reserves of these resources. Myanmar has long been a base for several insurgent groups that have posed security challenges to India. Foreign-made weapons have reportedly been smuggled from Myanmar into regions such as Manipur. Myanmar shares a 1,643-kilometre border with India, and the dense forests along the border have often served as safe havens for insurgent groups. Indian security forces have reportedly carried out drone strikes against some of these camps in the past, though such operations were not officially acknowledged. With the new bilateral agreement in place, India's ability to respond to security threats along the border could increase, a development that may cause concern for China.