Myanmar Ex-Military Chief Meets with PM Modi in Trade and Security Talks

Former military chief meets PM Modi in New Delhi

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing on Monday, shaking hands outside Hyderabad House. This was Min Aung Hlaing’s first foreign trip since becoming civilian leader.

Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to being Myanmar’s trusted neighbor and reliable partner during the meeting, according to Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal.

The discussions covered border security and the impact of the civil war in Myanmar on India’s northeastern states. The Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, emphasized that stability and peace in Myanmar are crucial for India due to connectivity with Southeast Asia and safety along their 1,643-kilometer-long border.

Misri also stressed that any solution to the conflict must come from Myanmar itself, stating it should be a “Myanmar-led” and “Myanmar-owned” solution. India supports infrastructure projects linking its landlocked northeast to the Bay of Bengal through Myanmar and to Thailand via conflict zones.

Bilateral trade in 2025-2026 was over $2 billion, according to New Delhi. The meeting also touched on cybercrime, with Misri noting that more than 2,400 Indians were repatriated from cyberscam centers in Myanmar last year, while around 150 remain trapped.

Min Aung Hlaing arrived in India on Saturday, visiting Bihar and the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya before heading to Mumbai for his five-day visit.