Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing arrived in India

Myanmar’s president Min Aung Hlaing has arrived in India for his first overseas trip since taking office, seeking to bolster ties with one of the country’s key regional partners.

The former military chief landed in Bihar on Saturday, beginning a five‑day visit that will include meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi. He is also expected to hold talks with business leaders and visit Mumbai, India’s financial hub.

India’s foreign ministry welcomed him with a red‑carpet reception, noting his stop at Bodh Gaya, the Buddhist pilgrimage site where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. “His visit reflects the strong spiritual, historical and people‑to‑people ties that bind our two countries,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Trade between India and Myanmar reached nearly $2 billion in 2025‑26, and officials say discussions will focus on expanding economic cooperation alongside cultural and religious exchanges.

Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president in April, five years after seizing power in a military coup. His election by a pro‑military parliament has been widely criticised abroad as a manoeuvre to preserve the junta’s grip on power.

India has maintained relations with Myanmar’s military‑backed administrations despite Western sanctions and ongoing conflict inside the country. Analysts say New Delhi views Myanmar as strategically vital, sharing a 1,643‑kilometre border and cooperating on security against insurgent groups.

Critics, however, argue that hosting Min Aung Hlaing risks legitimising his regime. Justice For Myanmar, an activist group, condemned the visit, calling him “a war criminal waging a campaign of terror against the Myanmar people” and urging India to support democratic forces instead.

The trip underscores the delicate balance India seeks to strike: pursuing regional stability and economic opportunity while facing international pressure over Myanmar’s human rights record.

-2026-06-01