Myanmar assures India its territory will not be used against Indian security interests

Myanmar has assured India that it will not allow its territory to be used for activities detrimental to India's security interests, following a meeting between the home secretaries of the two countries in New Delhi yesterday (8 July).

According to an official statement, the two sides reviewed the prevailing security situation along the India-Myanmar border and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability and security along the frontier.

"Both sides underscored the importance of preventing the misuse of sovereign territory for activities inimical to their security interests," the statement said.

The meeting also focused on strengthening cooperation against transnational crimes, including terrorism, insurgency, narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, wildlife trafficking, cybercrime and other forms of organised crime.

The two countries agreed to enhance intelligence sharing, strengthen operational coordination and undertake capacity-building initiatives to address shared security challenges more effectively.

They also reiterated the importance of working closely to complete the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.

The Indian delegation was led by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, while Myanmar was represented by Deputy Home Affairs Minister Major General Min Thu.

The Indian side reaffirmed that Myanmar remains an important partner under India's "Neighbourhood First", "Act East" and "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions" policies.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting and agreed to continue close cooperation on security issues through existing bilateral mechanisms.