Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is on a two-day visit to Myanmar, called on the military junta chief and other senior representatives and held meetings with political leaders and members of the civil society on Thursday and conveyed India’s interest in seeing “Myanmar’s return to democracy at the earliest.”

In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “During his meetings with all concerned, Foreign Secretary emphasised India’s interest in seeing Myanmar’s return to democracy at the earliest, release of detainees and prisoners, resolution of issues through dialogue, and complete cessation of all violence.”

The statement added that India expressed its support to the five-point consensus of the ASEAN on Myanmar and “hoped that progress would be made in a pragmatic and constructive manner.”

“As a democracy and close neighbour, India has been involved in the democratic transition process in Myanmar and in this context has worked with various stakeholders in developing capacities on democratic systems and practices.”

India proposes to renew these efforts for Myanmar to emerge as a stable, democratic, federal union in accordance with the wishes of the people of Myanmar, said the statement.

During the meeting, India also raised “matters related to India’s security”, especially in the light of the recent incident in Churachandpur district in southern Manipur.

The Foreign Secretary stressed the need to put an end to any violence and maintain peace and stability in the border areas. “Both sides reiterated their commitment to ensure that their respective territories would not be allowed to be used for any activities inimical to the other, reads the MEA statement.

It may be mentioned that insurgents last month had attacked a convoy of Assam rifles killing its Commanding Officer Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife and his five-year-old son, along with four personnel in northeastern Manipur state, which borders Myanmar. The People’s Liberation Army and the Manipur Naga People’s Front claimed responsibility for the incident.

Mentioning that India shares an approximately 1700 kms long border with Myanmar, the MEA statement pointed out that “any developments” in Myanmar “have a direct impact on India’s ordering regions. Peace and stability in Myanmar remain of utmost importance to India, specifically to its North Eastern Region.”

Recently, Myanmar had handed over five insurgents to India, the second time in two years that such a development has taken place.

On the connectivity front, the Foreign Secretary expressed India’s continued support for people-centric socio-economic developmental projects, including those along the India-Myanmar border areas, as well as India’s commitment for expeditious implementation of ongoing connectivity initiatives such as the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project and the Trilateral Highway.

Shringla also reiterated India’s commitment to continue with the projects under Rakhine State Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme for the benefit of the “people of Myanmar.”

Emphasizing that India shares a long border with Myanmar, the Foreign Secretary conveyed India’s continued humanitarian support for the people of Myanmar.

In the context of Myanmar’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, he handed over one million doses of “Made in India” vaccines to the Myanmar Red Cross Society. A part of this consignment would be utilized for communities living along Myanmar’s border with India.

A grant of 10,000 tons of rice and wheat to Myanmar was also announced, said the MEA release.

It may be mentioned that Myanmar was the first country to get Indian made vaccines when New Delhi started its vaccine export program in January this year. The first consignment of vaccines was sent to the country on January 22 this year. So far, India has sent 4.7 million doses of vaccines to the ASEAN country.