Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing began a five-day visit to India on May 30, marking his first foreign trip since being sworn in as president in April 2026 following a military-backed election [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
He arrived in New Delhi on May 30, where he met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and visited Bodh Gaya the same day. On June 1, Min Aung Hlaing held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concentrating on trade, border security, defense cooperation, and efforts to promote peace in Myanmar [1, 2, 5].
India shares a 1,643-kilometer eastern border with Myanmar. Northeast Indian states along this border face challenges related to cross-border security and migration [1, 3, 5]. Indian officials stressed the importance of stability for regional security and connectivity. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Stability and peace in Myanmar is obviously a major interest for India... for the security of the northeast and connectivity to Southeast Asia" [5].
Trade between the two nations totaled around $2 billion in 2025-2026. Discussions also covered securing supplies of rare earth minerals, infrastructure projects such as the Kaladan corridor and the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway, and boosting bilateral commerce [2, 3, 5].
India views engagement with Myanmar’s military-led government as necessary to protect strategic interests and counter China's influence in the region. Senior fellow K. Yhome said, "India today is giving its interests more weightage than values and is, therefore, willing to scale up its engagement with the military more boldly" [3]. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri added that solutions to Myanmar's difficulties must be "Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned" [5].
Min Aung Hlaing’s rise followed a February 2021 military coup that ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and sparked civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions [1, 5].
India has also repatriated more than 2,400 Indians from Myanmar-based cyber scam centers over the past year, indicating ongoing cross-border security concerns [5].
Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to visit Mumbai on June 2 for business and industry events before concluding his five-day visit on June 3, 2026 [2, 3, 4].
