Shwe Mann's 'Mission India' ends

Mizzima News: 10 December, 2006

Burmese Army Chief of Staff General Thura Shwe Mann wound up his India visit having reportedly clinched a deal for supply of armaments to Burma in lieu of flushing out Indian insurgents holed up in his country. An Indo-Burmese joint military exercise is also in the offing in Virangtee, Mizoram state.

General Thura Shwe Mann left India on Saturday afternoon following a two-day discussion with his Indian counterpart in Fort William, the headquarters of the Indian Army’s Eastern Command.

He held a series of meetings with the Indian Army brass for purchase of military hardware from India.

Indian Ministry of Defence spokesman in Kolkata, Wing Commander R K Das said that the visit would be a major CBM between the two countries. A 10-member Burmese delegation led by General Shwe Mann met General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Lieutenant General Arvind Sharma at the Command HQ in Fort William.

Sources said the Burmese delegation discussed issues including border security and military activities.

Sources said that the parleys are expected to culminate in an Indo-Burmese joint military exercise soon in Virangtee in Mizoram state.

It is believed that the Burmese General assured India, it would launch an operation to flush out India's north-east rebels sheltering in Burma. And it could be a "co-coordinated operation".

Indian insurgent groups such as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland and the United Liberation Front of Asom have bases in Burma.

The Burmese military junta has generally accepted India's demands for strikes against Indian rebels in their territory. In return, India will supply armaments to Burma.

According to Human Rights Watch, Indian Air Force chief, S P Tyagi, offered a multimillion dollar aid package to Burma's military in a meeting with the leaders of the junta when he visited Burma's new administrative capital at Naypyitaw on November 22.

This aid package includes counterinsurgency helicopters, avionics upgrades of Burma's Russian and Chinese-made fighter planes, and naval surveillance aircraft.

This followed a pledge in early November by Indian Army Chief of Staff, Gen J J Singh, to help train Burmese troops in special warfare.

In New Delhi, Shwe Mann attended the flagging off, of the India-Burma Friendship Car Rally.