Myanmar President arrives in India for 5-day visit, offers prayers at Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya
Gaya, May 30
Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Gaya in Bihar on Saturday as he kicked off his five-day visit to India. He then offered prayers at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya.
Taking to X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "Strengthening civilisational links with our neighbour! A warm welcome to President U Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on his arrival in Bodh Gaya. He was received by Hon'ble Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.) at the airport."
"The visit reflects the strong spiritual, historical and people-to-people ties that bind our two countries and the depth of our ongoing cooperation," the Ministry added.
The Myanmar President will also visit the Mahabodhi Ekta Dhamma Monastery later in the day.
During his visit, President U Min Aung Hlaing will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 1 on further strengthening the ties between the two countries, according to the MEA.
This is President U Min Aung Hlaing's first visit to India after assuming office.
U Min Aung Hlaing will also participate in a business forum in India. For his visit, he will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising several cabinet ministers, senior officials and business leaders.
On June 2, he will also travel to Mumbai for business and industry interactions and site visits.
"Myanmar lies at the confluence of India's Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR policies. The official visit of President U Min Aung Hlaing to India is expected to further strengthen and deepen the multi-faceted relations between the two countries," the MEA said in a statement.
In April, Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh visited Myanmar to attend the swearing-in ceremony of U Min Aung Hlaing as Myanmar's President.
On April 10, Singh called on U Min Aung Hlaing and gave him a letter of felicitations from PM Modi on his assumption of office as Myanmar's President. He expressed India's commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation under its 'Neighbourhood First', 'Act East' and 'MAHASAGAR' policies and extending developmental assistance for the benefit of the people of Myanmar.
U Min Aung Hlaing was elected Myanmar's President on April 3. In the days leading up to his election, he stepped down as Commander-in-Chief after having ruled the country since 2021 following a military coup.
In August last year, PM Narendra Modi met Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's then State Security and Peace Commission Chairman, during the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where the two reviewed bilateral relations.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Nice gesture but difficult to ignore the military background of the President. India is right to engage diplomatically but we must also push for democratic reforms in Myanmar. The Rohingya situation still needs resolution. 🤔
Act East policy in action! Myanmar is crucial for India's connectivity to Southeast Asia. The Kaladan project and trilateral highway need this kind of high-level engagement. Business forum in Mumbai is a smart move too. 🇮🇳
Why are we hosting a military coup leader who overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's government? This doesn't align with India's democratic values. Tourism and cultural ties are fine but shouldn't whitewash human rights issues. Not impressed.
As someone from the US, I find this visit interesting. India balances its relationships well. Myanmar is important for countering China's influence in the region. The Buddhist connection is also a nice soft power touch. Hope it results in tangible progress.
Bodh Gaya is the perfect starting point for this visit. The spiritual connection between India and Myanmar goes back centuries. Mahabodhi Temple is not just a tourist spot - it's where Buddha attained enlightenment. 🙏 Let's hope the business talks go well too.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.