New Delhi
9 November 2010
Barack Obama was fulsome in his praise of India's democratic credentials, which
is apparently why he expects more from India on Burma. But if the mood in New Delhi on
the day after Obama spoke, and two days after the Burmese junta conducted what has
been universally dismissed as a sham election, is any indicator, there is not likely to be
a rethink in India's Burma policy anytime soon.
A long border with Burma, insurgency in India's north-east and connectivity are some of
the issues that New Delhi says have determined its policy towards Burma. It justified its
realpolitik in Burma by saying that Burma is not a unidimensional issue and that it
needs to monitor its neighbourhood region and defend its interests.
The refrain is: A huge country to the north of India is playing an active role in Burma, is
India to be brain dead about it and do nothing about it?
A source insists India cannot be completely oblivious of happenings in Burma, knowing
fully well that the country ruled by the junta today is strategically located in the region,
and abuts India.
But can India take a public stand on the issue of release of Burmese pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi? The source sidestepped the question by saying various
groups in India have supported her cause but the Indian Government has not taken issue
with any of them. The implication was that New Delhi has been extending tacit support to
such campaigns.
The source concedes that New Delhi may not exactly be shouting but it has held talks on
Burma in the course of internal discussions and bilateral engagements. It was pointed
out that India has supported the UN secretary-general's good offices mission in Burma.
The international community led by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and other world
leaders have dismissed the November 7 elections in Burma as a sham. Mr Ban
described the elections as "insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent" and
asked the junta to release political prisoners including Aung Sang Suu Kyi.
India has not commented so far about the elections.
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