INDO-MYANMAR
RELATIONS
by Ram Potghan
https://t.me/ramsirnotes
India-Myanmar relations are rooted in shared historical, ethnic, cultural
and religious ties. As the land of Lord Buddha, India is a country of
pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar. India and Myanmar relations have
stood the test of time.
MYANMAR
• India- South Asian Nation, Myanmar- South East Asian Nation.
• Indian north east states border Myanmar
• Myanmar's neighbouring nations- India, china, Bangladesh, Laos , Thailand
• Population- more than 80% Buddhist.
• Government- Unitary form
• Less in population and population density (5 crore population)
• Invaded by – Mongolia, Portugal, French, British, Japan.
IMPORTANCE FOR INDIA
• Geo-strategically located – Myanmar is geopolitically significant to India as it
stands at the center of the India-Southeast Asia geography.
• Myanmar is the only Southeast Asian country that shares a land border with
northeastern India, stretching some 1,624 kilometers.
• The two countries also share a 725-km maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.
• Important for prosperity of north-east India.
• Myanmar is the only country that sits at the intersection of India’s “Neighborhood
First” policy and its “Act East” policy.
In the 4th
century, this
civilization
underwent its
defining
moment
when it
adopted
South India’s
Theravada
style of
Buddhism.
What we call Theravada today is the sole survivor of those early non-Mahayana
schools.
To avoid the pejorative tone implied by the terms Hinayana and Mahayana, it is
common today to use more neutral language to distinguish between these two
main branches of Buddhism.
Because Theravada historically dominated southern Asia, it is sometimes called
"Southern" Buddhism, while Mahayana, which migrated northwards from India
into China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea, is known as "Northern" Buddhism.
Konbaung dynasty lost Burma Complex History
(including present day Manipur,
Assam, Laos and Thailand) to British
(1824)
Britain made
Burma a province
of India in 1886
with the capital at
Rangoon.
Bahadur Shah
Jafar was sent to
Rangoon for life
imprisonment.
Bahadur Shah
Jafar was sent to
Rangoon for life
imprisonment.
After the opening
of the Suez (17
November,
1869) canal, the
demand for
Burmese rice
grew and vast
tracts of land
were opened up
for cultivation.
Suez Canal
It decrease the distance between Britain and Burma by 8500 km.
This investment was for trade. For rice and use Burma as a
backdoor to trade with China.
To prepare the new land for cultivation, farmers were forced to
borrow money from Indian moneylenders called as Chettyars at
high interest rates.
Burmese people were getting
exploited by Indian moneylenders.
Many Burmese cultivatiors/farmers
lost their jobs/ land to Indian
merchants as they were not able to
pay debt.
Indians were collaborators of British
exploiters
While the
Burmese economy
grew, most of the
power and wealth
remained in the
hands of several
British firms,
Anglo-Burmese
people and
migrants from
India.
The civil service was largely staffed by the Anglo-
Burmese community and Indians, and Burmese
people were largely excluded almost entirely from
military service.
Feeling of
resentment
in Burmese
people
Business interest of Indians in Burma was also encouraged
By Government of India Act-1935-
administration of Burma was
separated from India.
To avoid democracy wave
travelling from India to Burma
• Aung San (13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a
Burmese politician, independence activist
and revolutionary.
• He was instrumental in Myanmar’s struggle for
independence from British rule, but he was
assassinated just six months before his goal was
realized.
• Aung San is considered the founder of modern-
day Myanmar and the Tatmadaw (the country's
armed forces), and is commonly referred to by the
titles "Father of the Nation", "Father of
Independence", and "Father of the Tatmadaw"
Pappa of
Aung San
Suu Kyi
Aung san co-founded the
Communist party of Burma and
sought to contact with Chinese
communists, but the Japanese
authorities got to him first,
promising military training and
support for a national uprising and
getting rid of britishers.
Japanese invasion of Burma in 1942
led to them realise that there has been
exchange in colonial entity from British
to Japanese.
Burma got independence from Japan in 1942 and from Britain in Jan. 1948
Burma after Independence
4 January 1948- independence
10 years of Failed
Democracy
1958- Military took over as “CARETAKER GOVERNMENT”
• Removed communists from Burma.
• Forced minority states to bow down in front of central government.
Prominent leaders under
house arrest including Aung
San Suu Kyi
1991- Noble peace prize winner.
2008- Constitution
75% of MPs are directly elected by voters
25% are military personnel appointed by the defence services
commander-in-chief.
2010
Democracy in Myanmar.
2020
February 2021- Military Dictatorship
• Army raised
allegations of fraud
elections.
• 8.6 million
irregular voters.
Why Democracy is not successful in Myanmar.
• From past democracy was not able to solve crisis of nation.
• Internal disturbances and weak tackling strategies. E.g. human rights violation-
Rohingya muslim.
• Closeness to China (communists) V/s Democracy V/s Military Rule.
• Calm Buddhist nation-Peaceful-yet struggling with poverty and ideological crisis.
• Interference of military in Governance and Politics.
• Weak Governance strategy and weak constitution.
• Elections not on regular intervals.
Indo- Burma (NAM) close allies in 1950s.
Burma silent on indo- china war- stagnancy in relations.
Under PM, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narsimha Rao- idealism to
criticism.
BJP foreign minister Jaswant Singh – considered as architect of Realism.
1. Insurgency.
2. Border Security
3. Potential of South East Asia- present Act East Policy
Kolkata-Bangkok highway opening likely in 4 years.
• Is set to significantly boost regional
connectivity and cooperation.
• Established under the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical
and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC).
• This highway project holds immense
potential for economic
development, cultural exchange,
Moreh in India to
Mae Sot in Thailand and people-to-people contact
among member nations.
• This comprehensive infrastructure development, covering a vast 2800-
kilometer network.
• India has proposed extending the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral
Highway further to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam along the East-West
Corridor of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation
Strategy (ACMECS).
for more such updates kindly join telegram channel https://t.me/ramsirnotes
