New Delhi highlights Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR priorities during parliamentary delegation visit…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening its multifaceted partnership with Myanmar, as Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita met a visiting parliamentary delegation from the neighbouring country in New Delhi.
The delegation, led by Dr Pwint San, chairman of Myanmar Parliament’s International Relations Committee, is in India for a capacity-building programme organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), the training and research arm of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
During the meeting, Margherita underlined India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations under its key foreign policy frameworks, including Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
“Building on our age-old civilisational and people-to-people ties, India remains committed to deepening our multifaceted partnership with Myanmar,” Margherita said following the interaction.
The cross-party delegation comprises 30 Members of Parliament representing six national and nine ethnic political parties. The group arrived in India on September 1 for the week-long training programme and friendly engagements, with the visit concluding on September 8.
Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur said the delegation’s diverse composition reflected broad political support within Myanmar for maintaining close relations with India.
The group includes representatives from major national parties as well as ethnic parties representing communities from regions along Myanmar’s borders with India, China and Thailand. Several members are young and first-time parliamentarians.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Ambassador Thakur said the delegation’s broad representation demonstrated a “cross-party consensus” in Myanmar’s Parliament on maintaining strong ties with India.
The visit holds particular significance as it comes during the first year of Myanmar’s newly convened Parliament following the general elections held between December 2025 and January 2026.
Thakur said the establishment of new parliamentary institutions marked an important stage in Myanmar’s political evolution and made parliamentary exchanges with India especially timely.
India and Myanmar share deep historical, cultural and people-to-people links, as well as a long land border and significant strategic interests in regional connectivity, security and economic cooperation.
The parliamentary exchange also follows Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to India earlier this year, his first overseas trip since assuming office.
The latest engagement signals New Delhi’s continuing efforts to strengthen institutional and political ties with Myanmar while advancing cooperation under its wider Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.
