India-Myanmar bilateral ties: Ethnicity, security and connectivity

With the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi along with other political prisoners — the freedom of press, suspension of construction work on Myitsone dam, increased economic ties with ASEAN countries, resumption of peace talks with ethnic groups — Myanmar has raised the expectations for positive changes in the sub-region. India is keen to engage with Myanmar with its Look East policy or the recently refurbished Act East initiative. With political liberalisation in Myanmar, there is a renewed scope for enhancement of bilateral ties. It is within this framework that this conference seeks to explore the implications that contemporary changes in Myanmar have on India-Myanmar relationship in terms of ethnicity, security and connectivity.

Any collaborative effort at the bilateral level between these two sates that will come up in the future will have to make a balance between short-term commercial interests and long-term policy of inclusive development that both countries need to undertake.

This two-day conference will explore the pros and cons of India-Myanmar strategic partnership and analyse further possibilities to move forward. The conference will witness the participation of distinguished academicians, journalists, researchers and young scholars.