PM Modi hails meeting with Myanmar president as ‘wonderful’, to meet Suu Kyi tomorrow

Modi reached Nay Pyi Taw on the final leg of his two- nation visit after attending the BRICS Summit in China. Raveesh Kumar, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, had tweeted a few images of Kyaw welcoming Modi. “‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy. PM @narendramodi calls on President U Htin Kyaw, discusses steps to deepen historical relationship,” he said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, PM Modi and President Htin Kyaw also inspected the guard of honour. The prime minister’s visit to Myanmar comes close on the heels of a spike in ethnic violence with Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state. Modi will also hold wide-ranging talks with Myanmar’s State Counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday. He is expected to raise the exodus of the ethnic Rohingyas into neighbouring countries.

The Indian government is concerned about Rohingya immigrants in the country, and has been considering to deport them. Over 40,000 Rohingyas are believed to be staying illegally within India. Ahead of his visit, Modi had said India and Myanmar were looking at strengthening existing cooperation in areas of security and counter-terrorism, trade and investment, infrastructure and energy, and culture.

The Myanmar visit marks PM Modi’s first bilateral visit to the neighbouring country. The Prime Minister had visited the country back in 2014 to attend the ASEAN-India Summit. The Myanmarese president and Suu Kyi had visited India last year. Myanmar is one of India’s strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of northeastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.

(With PTI inputs)