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A delegation of Myanmar civil rights groups was of the view that civil society groups could be used as a catalyst for social change in their country. They hoped that the civil society would be able to play a critical role in further transforming the seemingly changing political system of the country.

The opening of Myanmar, which till recently was considered a black hole, has unfolded a new situation, with that country becoming an important bridge for India looking northwards, eastwards and into the Bay of Bengal region.

Whether the Bodh Gaya bombings are found to be linked to Myanmar's sectarian violence or not, the perpetual communal tension in Myanmar is doing no good for the country's future. An early resolution to the issue is in the interest of Myanmar and the region at large. Myanmar needs to take upon itself the responsibility of finding a lasting resolution to the sectarian violence sooner than later.

One needs to be cautious in pronouncing that the recent Myanmar Operation by the Indian army is a new, all-purpose security and counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism doctrine for every eventuality, circumstance and geography. In the case of Pakistan and the Kashmir theatre, for example, things will not be as simple.

The Kokang factor has long been a source of tension in China-Myanmar relations. The recent killing of Chinese farmers in Myanmar bombing has demonstrated that the role of the regional players needs to be brought to the fore, within the larger framework of international support in its peace process.

For most people, Myanmar's Sunday election is about change for the better. But there is much at stake than just winning. What impacts will the election have on the socio-political fabrics of the country at a time when there are growing societal divides on religious and ethnic lines.

Myanmar's military chief General Min Aung Hlaing's recent India visit is another significant step in Myanmar's military diplomacy. Myanmar knows its interest lies in keeping a balanced military engagement with major powers and it would be the last that would want a strategic rivalry of the great powers be played out in its country.

A question that merits a sharper assessment is the impact of Myanmar's transition process on India-Myanmar relations. Security cooperation between the two countries since Myanmar's transition has definitely scaled up. The most visible demonstration is Indian Army's recent cross-border operation.

The landslide victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) in the November 8 elections is a harbinger of changing times in Myanmar. Winning clear majority, bagging more than 2/3rds of seats, the NLD has been placed in a position to steer reforms in the country.

Participants of an interaction on Myanmar felt that Myanmar should be allowed to exercise its will regarding its internal political and economic decisions, but there should be an attempt to check the irregularities in these areas so that her neighbours such as India and Bangladesh do not bear the brunt.

Myanmar's unsettled scores on the border front once again took an ugly turn when its border guards police exchanged crossfire with its Bangladesh counterpart for three days from 28 May. A Bangladesh border guard personnel was said to be killed.

When the world finding itself in a deadlock on the issues of environment and sustainable development, Myanmar is poised to enter a new era that could pave the way for economic prosperity without any significant negative impact on the environment.

The South-east Asian country of Myanmar has now completed three years of political and economic reforms, but the journey has been "not so hunky dory" if US secretary of State John Kerry is to be believed.

The last surviving member of Myanmar's '30 Comrades', Ye Htut, passed away on 27 November 27, in a Yangon nursing home at the age of 92. Ye Htut was the youngest member of the '30 Comrades' and Burma Independence Army (BIA), which was led by Gen Aung San.

Myanmar has become a preferred investment and trade destination as the South-East Asian country has been able to generate great interest from businesses and nations worldwide.

The year 2013 started with a glimmer of hope for political prisoners languishing in jails across Myanmar when President Thein Sein announced a committee to scrutinise release of political prisoners in February.

Myanmar's top military general, Than Shwe, would use his India visit to convey the message to New Delhi that his country's relationship with India remains strong and undiluted in the backdrop of the recent events.

Aung San Suu Kyi's five-day official visit to China is a beckon of changing times. The Myanmarese Opposition leader and Noble Laureate surprised all when news of her going to China on an official visit was public.

A fresh spate of violence targeting Muslims in the western coastal town of Thandwe in Myanmar on 29 September is an indication of communal violence engulfing the nation all over again.

Even before the Opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) could celebrate its victory in the recently-concluded by-elections, Myanmar is facing its first test as a nascent and evolving democracy.

Myanmar is on the cusp of a new era of reforms and development. With the civilian Government showing much interest in the forward looking economic alleviation agenda and Aung San Suu Kyi's appointment as the Leader of the Opposition,

The draft National Ceasefire Agreement was signed between the National Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) and Union Peace Working Committee (UPWC) on March 31. The draft was agreed upon by the two entities in President Thein Sein's presence.

As Myanmar attempts to build a new identity for itself, this will not only redefine its domestic future but will also allow realignment of its ties with external powers. The international community's support is important to further encourage the changes.

More than the thumping victories of Aung San Suu Kyi and her party candidates, the recent by-elections are yet another sign that Myanmar is forging ahead towards being a democratic nation. The pace of the reforms of President Thein Sein has surpised one and all.

The naming of Navy chief Vice-Admiral Nyan Tun, 58, as the Vice-President of Mya nmar has come as a rude surprise as well as a pleasant shock. Given the nature of this development, the nation itself would be examined under many lenses.

The military-led government in Myanmar, emerging from over a half century of absolutist rule, stands blemished following reports about the killing of over 49 Rohingya Muslims in the north-western part of the country.

The imposition of sanctions was intended to effect political change inside Myanmar, albeit unsuccessful, in the first place. And because the issue is how best to encourage change, perhaps, it is the right time to lift sanctions as incentive for change.

The reforms in Myanmar took yet another symbolic step in the past few weeks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the nation's crusader for democracy, set foot for the first time outside the country in over 24 years.

Nobel Peace laureate and pro-democratic champion of Myanmar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to visit India in mid November. The dates are yet to be finalised. This would be Suu Kyi's first visit to India since her political carrier took a downward turn after the elections of 1990.

The country has already seen three years of Thein Sein government, a critical phase in the history of Myanmar, which back then was on the throes of transition to democracy.

Myanmar's bilateral engagement with India in trade has gained momentum since 2008 when political and economic reforms were launched in the former 'pariah' state. India-Myanmar trade has more than doubled in the last seven years and has crossed $2 billion in 2013-14,

In Myanmar, the present scenario presents the best opportunity to find resolution to its ethnic issue. Myanmar needs another Panglong agreement if the deep-seated wounds of the decades-long conflicts were to heal and so that the country can move on.

According to a recent report by a US Government commission, Myanmar is among the worst countries when it comes to religious freedom. However, there seems to be no debate on the issue and even the international community is treating it as an internal matter,

There is more to good governance than just Economic Freedom. Gujarat has not done too badly, but to claim that it is the "best governed state" is to be somewhat economical with the truth.

The Observer Research Foundation organized a round table discussion on Climate Change on August 26, 2009 at its New Delhi campus. The theme speaker was Mr. Owen Jenkins, Counsellor for Climate Change and Energy, British High Commission and the DFID.

Recently, the Special Economic Zones Bill 2005 has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and is awaiting the approval of the President. The purpose of having a separate Bill on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is to clarify all policy initiatives relating to such special zones so that many more foreign and domestic investors can establish their units in these areas. There are 11 functioning SEZs in the country already and they are producing 5 per

It is a cliché to say that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is complex and that Kashmir is burning. But this is true also. The situation today is the result of political mismanagement, indifference and lessons not learnt over past few years after the security forces had brought the situation under control.

No one knows what an Open Standard is. If we don't define it explicitly in time, India's ambitious digital governance plans will surely derail.

Maldives Dhivehi Rayyethunge Party (DRP) chief, Mr. Thasmeen Ali, has said that the first government under the new Constitution, the government of President Nasheed, did not display courage and patience to follow the path of democratic governance.

Do all states with Muslim majority have to be Islamic? Not necessarily, if you go by the examples of Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh. This points to one simple conclusion: if a country has a democratic polity, it is less likely to be Islamic.

The reluctance of, and inordinate delay by, the Union Government, to evolve a national approach and policy to tackle Naxalites of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is, indeed, baffling. Meanwhile, the Maoists¿ daring attacks, lethality, presence and influence have rapidly been rising; also, there is marked shift in their method of attack.

Only a small trickle of INDCs has been submitted by other countries. So there isn't much by way of international examples for India to consider. The EU has said it will reduce its carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. Mexico has submitted both conditional and unconditional INDCs.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) announced over the weekend a major airlift of relief supplies for Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

In the light of the economic climate and the government's spending capabilities, the Indian Navy needs to comprehensively review the performance of the systems it wants to acquire and its potential trade-offs, rather than accessing each technical requirement or performance need in isolation.

To sequence Indian priorities on the FDI question is fairly simple. Consumer-centrism is paramount. Competitive SME sector growth, which will lead to job creation as well as value addition, is a strategic economic priority, which in turn can be aided by a strong e-commerce industry as has been witnessed in China.

One of the collaterals of the 2G verdict of the Supreme Court, which saw the revocation of 21 of Sistema Shyam Telecom?s 22 licenses, could be the flickering and faint Russian Interest in Indian business opportunity.