Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has expressed India’s commitment to supporting peace and stability in Myanmar during a meeting with a visiting parliamentary delegation from the neighbouring country. The Myanmar delegation, led by Dr. Pwint San, Chairperson of the International Relations Committee of Myanmar’s Parliament, is in India to participate in a training programme on democratic institutions and parliamentary practices.
Birla stressed that India views Myanmar as a close neighbour with shared historical and cultural bonds, particularly their common Buddhist heritage. He noted that Myanmar holds strategic importance in India’s three main foreign policy approaches: Act East, Neighbourhood First, and the Indo-Pacific strategy.
Key points from the meeting
- India and Myanmar maintain broad cooperation across politics, security, defence, trade, investment, connectivity, development and humanitarian assistance
- The two countries have strengthened ties through regular high-level engagement and meetings between top leadership
- The Myanmar delegation is participating in a capacity-building programme organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE)
- Myanmar recently conducted general elections in three phases between December 2025 and January 2026, marking the first use of proportional representation and electronic voting machines in the country
- Birla highlighted India’s experience with democratic institutions since 1950 and its electoral modernisation, including the use of Electronic Voting Machines from 2004 and the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail system
What this means for you
The exchange signals India’s continued diplomatic engagement with Myanmar as the neighbour works through its political transition. If you follow South Asian politics or regional development, this underscores India’s role in supporting democratic practices in the region. The visit also reflects how India shares its institutional experience with other democracies seeking to strengthen their parliamentary systems and electoral processes.