LOK SABHA SPEAKER REAFFIRMS INDIA'S SUPPORT FOR PEACE, STABILITY AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION IN MYANMAR

India's engagement with Myanmar represents one of the most nuanced and strategically vital relationships in New Delhi's neighbourhood policy. The recent visit of a Myanmar parliamentary delegation led by Dr. Pwint San, Chairperson of the International Relations Committee, to participate in a capacity-building programme organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) underscores the institutional depth of this partnership. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's remarks during the interaction reveal the multi-layered framework through which India views Myanmar — not merely as a neighbour but as a civilisational partner sharing ancient Buddhist heritage and as a critical geographic bridge connecting South Asia to Southeast Asia. Myanmar's importance in India's three key foreign policy frameworks — Act East Policy, Neighbourhood First Policy, and the Indo-Pacific vision — cannot be overstated. The Act East Policy, launched in 2014 as an evolution of the Look East Policy initiated in 1991, positions Myanmar as India's land gateway to ASEAN. The Neighbourhood First Policy, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, prioritises Myanmar for its shared 1,643 km land border and maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. The Indo-Pacific construct, formalised through India's participation in the Quad and its own Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in 2019, sees Myanmar as essential for maritime security and connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region. The bilateral relationship encompasses politics, security, defence, trade, investment, connectivity, development and humanitarian assistance. India has consistently been among the first responders during Myanmar's crises — from Cyclone Nargis (2008) to the COVID-19 pandemic, where India supplied 1.7 million vaccine doses under 'Vaccine Maitri' in 2021. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway exemplify connectivity ambitions. However, the relationship faces complex challenges. Myanmar's internal conflict following the military takeover on February 1, 2021, has created a humanitarian crisis with over 2.6 million internally displaced persons (UNHCR, 2024) and spillover effects on India's northeastern states — Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh — which share ethnic and cultural ties with communities across the border. India's approach has been calibrated: maintaining engagement with the State Administration Council (SAC) while expressing concern over democratic backsliding and advocating for the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus (April 2021). The electoral dimension discussed by Speaker Birla is particularly significant. Myanmar's general elections conducted in three phases between December 2025 and January 2026 — featuring, for the first time, proportional representation and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) — represent a milestone in its democratic trajectory. India's own electoral evolution offers valuable lessons: EVMs were introduced in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections (phased from 1999 state elections), and the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system was subsequently mandated by the Supreme Court in Subramanian Swamy vs Election Commission of India (2013) to enhance transparency under Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, provide the statutory framework. India's willingness to share this institutional experience — including parliamentary procedures, committee systems, and the anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule, inserted by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985) — aligns with its broader democracy promotion objectives in the neighbourhood. Constitutionally, India's parliamentary democracy under Article 79 (Parliament composition) and Article 75 (collective responsibility of Council of Ministers to Lok Sabha) serves as a reference model. The 18th Lok Sabha constituted after the June 2024 general elections continues this 74-year journey since the first Lok Sabha in 1952. For Myanmar, building inclusive democratic institutions amid ongoing conflict requires not just technical electoral assistance but political reconciliation among the military (Tatmadaw), ethnic armed organisations (EAOs), and the National Unity Government (NUG). India's unique position — maintaining channels with all stakeholders — enables it to play a constructive role. Future implications include deeper parliamentary exchanges, potential Indian technical assistance for Myanmar's Union Election Commission, and continued collaboration in BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) where both are members. The trajectory will depend on Myanmar's internal political evolution and India's ability to balance strategic interests with democratic values — a delicate equilibrium that defines New Delhi's neighbourhood diplomacy.