India hosts Burma's military leader

Posted July 25, 2010 20:33:00

Burma's military ruler Than Shwe has arrived in India for a state visit that underscores the growing strategic ties between the world's largest democracy and one of its most repressive regimes.

Mr Shwe began his visit in Bodha Gaya, the temple town and pilgrimage post in eastern India where Buddha gained enlightenment.

His ceremonial state welcome in New Delhi will take place on Tuesday.

The red-carpet reception planned for Mr Shwe, who rarely travels abroad, has been sharply criticised by human rights groups as a betrayal of India's democratic credentials and an implicit endorsement of the Burmese junta.

Once a staunch supporter of Burma's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, India began engaging the junta in the mid-1990s as security, energy and strategic priorities began to override concerns over democracy and human rights.

As well as needing the junta's help to counter ethnic separatists operating along their remote common border, India is eyeing oil and gas fields in Burma and fears losing out to China in the race for strategic space in Asia.

The European Union, United States and other countries have targeted Burma with economic sanctions and travel bans, but their impact on the military regime has been diluted by support from China, India and Thailand.


Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, human, burma, india