India’s engagement with Myanmar has entered a delicate phase, shaped by humanitarian crises, border security challenges, and political calculations.
At the diplomatic level, New Delhi has agreed to send observer teams to monitor Myanmar’s general election scheduled for December 2025. The announcement followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, during the SCO summit in Tianjin. India has emphasized the need for a fair and inclusive vote, even as critics warn the exercise could entrench military control. By backing the electoral roadmap, India signals its willingness to remain engaged with Naypyidaw despite Western pressure.
On the ground, however, the consequences of Myanmar’s civil conflict are most visible in Mizoram, where over 33,000 refugees have crossed into India. Only a fraction have been registered through biometric enrollment, slowed by weak connectivity and limited central funding. Simultaneously, New Delhi has accelerated border fencing and security coordination with Assam Rifles and state agencies, reflecting anxieties over both migration and insurgent movements.
Security operations underscore the volatility. Recent seizures of methamphetamine worth over ₹144 crore in Mizoram highlight the scale of narco-trafficking networks linked to Myanmar. In Manipur, Indian forces intercepted cadres of the banned People’s Liberation Army attempting to infiltrate across the border. Meanwhile, the United Naga Council has declared a trade embargo starting September 8, protesting the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the fencing drive, which many see as undermining traditional cross-border ties.
India’s balancing act is evident: extending humanitarian aid through operations like “Brahma” after Myanmar’s earthquake, while also pursuing hard security measures and regional diplomacy. The interplay of elections, refugee management, insurgency, and trade disruptions shows that for New Delhi, Myanmar is not just a neighbor in crisis but a test case of balancing principle with pragmatism.
