Curbs on Myanmar to worsen situation: India

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 15

India is opposed to global sanctions on Myanmar, an action being pushed by some nations in retaliation to the army coup against the elected government followed by a bloody crackdown on civilian protesters. "We have a slightly different take from those looking (at the Myanmar situation) from elsewhere,’’ said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

The Foreign Secretary also welcomed the restoration of the ceasefire agreement on the border with Pakistan.

He suggested that there could be progress in bilateral ties if the ceasefire were to hold and Pakistan is serious about not allowing terrorism from across the border. "The onus is on Pakistan to ensure its actions are not inimical to our interests,’’ he said.

In Myanmar, India wants the world community to work with the military regime to meet the end goal of restoring democracy without impacting the well-being and welfare of the people of Myanmar, said the Foreign Secretary, in a clear sign of pushback by India towards sanctioning Myanmar.

India is undertaking several developmental projects as well as transfer of military hardware. The unstated apprehension is that China will step into the breach in case sanctions force India to suspend cooperation.