President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing has arrived in India this morning with a five-day official visit, during which the former top military commander of the Southeast Asian nation is expected to meet high-profile dignitaries, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and others.
Elected as the President of formerly known Burma following a debatable polling exercise in the national parliament located at Naypyitaw, it’s Hlaing’s first overseas trip with that capacity. When the poverty-stricken country of 55 million Buddhist majority people has been facing a civil war with the government currently ruling only one-third of its territory, Hlaing’s visit becomes a necessity for him, but seemingly an opportunity for India to enhance bilateral ties with the eastern neighbour.
Myanmar government-run daily newspaper ‘Global New Light Of Myanmar’ reported on Friday that President Hlaing would pay an official visit to the Republic of India, at the invitation of PM Modi and meet with the Indian President and hold bilateral talks with the premier.
Accompanied by ministers, high-level government officials and business representatives, President Hlaing would ‘engage in a cordial and open exchange of views to foster multifaceted cooperation across the economic, religious, cultural, and social sectors, thereby strengthening ties between the governments and peoples of the two countries’. His itinerary includes visits to prominent infrastructure facilities based in Gaya, Delhi and Mumbai too.
A military junta chief turned a civilian Head of the State, Hlaing, landed in Gaya in Bihar on 30 May 2026 and offered prayers at the Mahabodhi temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. He also interacted with the resident monks of the Buddhist pilgrimage city.
Before leaving for New Delhi, Hlaing also visited the Sujata temple in Bakraur. In the capital city, he is scheduled to meet the external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and other important dignitaries in the next two days, besides attending an Indo-Myanmar business meet on 31 May. Hlaing has a two-day program in Mumbai, where he may meet the Maharashtra Governor on Tuesday and a group of business-industry representatives before departing on 3 June.
“Myanmar lies at the confluence of India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR policies. The official visit of President U Min Aung Hlaing to India is expected to further strengthen and deepen the multi-faceted relations between the two countries,” said a foreign ministry spokesperson, adding that all issues regarding border security, connectivity, and other matters that form part of the gamut of relations between Myanmar and India would come up for discussions. “Our idea is to take our friendly, civilisational ties forward,” he stated.
Hlaing, who led a military coup on 1 February 2021 to oust the democratically elected government led by Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ruled the country amid chaos, stepped down as the commander-in-chief and later got elected as the civilian head of the country. He took the oath as the country’s President on 3 April, which was attended by a few foreign delegates.
Indian deputy foreign minister Kirti Vardhan Singh graced the swearing-in ceremony and handed over a letter of appreciation from PM Modi. Earlier, Modi met Hlaing during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China last year.
A devastated nation, as anti-junta rebels across Myanmar launched a coordinated offensive since October 2023, where the ethnic armed organisations and people's defence forces have captured and currently rule more than half of the land mass, where another one fourth of the locality remains under constant armed conflicts.
Thousands of people are killed, millions get injured and displaced from their homes, where many, including pro-democracy icon Suu Kyi, were arrested and imprisoned under controversial laws framed by the military dictators. Over one hundred media professionals have been arrested since the coup, and some of them are still behind bars.
Meanwhile, the Justice for Myanmar (JFM) criticises New Delhi for hosting the former junta leader, alleging that India was offering a ‘false legitimacy’ to the Burmese military. Terming Hlaing as a war criminal, the JFM asserted that he is still waging a campaign of terror against the Myanmar people.
The forum finally urged New Delhi to support the Myanmar people who are struggling and sacrificing daily for federal democracy. The National Unity Government (of Myanmar) in exile also expressed concern over Hlaing’s visit to India.
However, India has many-fold interests in Myanmar as the country shares over 1,600 kilometres of border with the strategic north-eastern States.
There are still some separatist armed militants taking shelter in the jungles of northern Myanmar, and New Delhi wants to deal with them with a strong hand so that the region maintains peace and tranquillity, which is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Moreover, New Delhi expects to reduce the Chinese influence in Myanmar for broader regional security and trade expansions, including the commissioning of the multi-modal Kaladan riverine project as early as possible.