DHAKA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Myanmar at a tricky time when the country and its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi are increasingly coming under sharp international criticism due to the plight of Rohingya Muslims.

Modi’s three-day visit is expected to cover a wide range of issues, including trade and security, with a renewed attempt to strengthen ties with a neighbor that has been more friendly with China than with India over the past few years, reports the Indian Express.
  
Modi landed in Myanmar on Tuesday afternoon (Sep 5) as part of a five-day foreign tour that already took him to the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen to attend this year's BRICS summit.

In the capital Naypyitaw, the Indian prime minister is scheduled to hold talks with President Htin Kyaw, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other high-ranking officials. He is also holding a community event in Yangon to address the Indian diaspora there.

In addition to Naypyitaw and Yangon, Modi is traveling to the ancient city of Bagan, where he will visit its famous Buddhist shrines, some of which date back to the 11th century. He is expected to announce Indian financial aid for their conservation.

The two countries are looking to strengthen their cooperation in a host of areas related to security, trade and energy, among others.

Modi's trip comes at a time when Myanmar is facing stringent global censure due to the ongoing Rohingya crisis. The estimated 1.1-million-strong Rohingya are a stateless ethnic minority who are reviled and accused of being illegal immigrants in Myanmar.

Many people in Myanmar even reject the term “Rohingya,” fearing that it gives political recognition to a group they regard as “Bengali” foreign nationals.

BDST: 1025 HRS, SEP 6, 2017
AP