India-Myanmar Relations

• India shares a long land border of over 1600 km with Myanmar as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. Four North-Eastern States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram share an international boundary with Myanmar.
• Both countries share a heritage of religious, linguistic and ethnic ties. India has “historical ties and traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation” with Myanmar Five Bs are the base of India-Myanmar relations – Buddhism, Business, Bollywood, Bharatnatyam and Burma teak. 
• As the land of Lord Buddha, India is a country of pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar. India and Myanmar relations have stood the test of time. The geographical proximity of the two countries has helped develop and sustain cordial relations and facilitated people-to-people contact.
• Myanmar has a substantial population of Indian origin (est. 1.5 to 2 million). Further, Myanmar is a gateway to South East Asia and ASEAN, with which India is seeking greater economic integration through ‘Neighbourhood First’ ‘Act East’ Policy. Myanmar also offers an alternative access route to the Northeast.
• Apart from the supply of pulses, possibilities of energy supply from offshore blocks in Myanmar and business opportunities that are emerging from an opening economy underpin bilateral relations.
• India and Myanmar signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1951. The visit of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 laid the foundations for a stronger relationship between India and Myanmar. A number of agreements enhancing bilateral Cooperation have been signed between the two countries. Institutional mechanisms for facilitating regular dialogue on a range of issues of bilateral interest have also been established.
• During 2002, the Indian Consulate General in Mandalay was reopened, and the Consulate General of Myanmar was set up in Kolkata. Following the cataclysmic cyclone ‘Nargis’ which hit Myanmar in May 2008, India responded immediately with relief materials and offers of assistance. India also provided assistance of US $1 million for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation in the areas affected by the severe earthquake in Shan State in March 2011. 

Areas of Cooperation

Political

• Building on civilizational relationships, since the 1990s, India has adopted a policy of working on improved Government-to-Government relations. The landslide victory by Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) in the November 2015 general elections and the formation of the NLD government had provided opportunities to strengthen the engagement, building on our previous efforts.
• Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi visit to Myanmar (November 2014).
  • The big focus of discussions was on improving connectivity between what the leaders called “brother countries.” The two leaders spoke about the need for more direct air links, as well as an India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, and the Kaladan multi-modal transport project.
  • They also discussed other economic ties and cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as the need for more cultural contacts, including sending Myanmar’s students to Nalanda University.
  • The two leaders reiterated the importance of building on the natural geographic, cultural and historic cultural links between the two countries.
  • PM Modi had met the leaders on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit. While addressing the ASEAN leaders, he also unveiled India’s new Act East Policy.
• Myanmar State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi visited India to participate in the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit.
  • During the visit, Myanmar reiterated its resolve not to allow its territory to be used against India, and Ms Swaraj assured Ms Suu Kyi of “all help” in “strengthening” Myanmar’s “democratic institutions and socio-economic development”, and also extended support to Myanmar for a “better connected” future.
  • Both sides signed three agreements following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ms. Suu Kyi, to assist insurance, power and banking sectors.
  • It is, however, noteworthy that she had visited China before coming to India. Thus , her visit was a reminder that India has a vast ground to cover if it hopes to match Chinese influence over Myanmar.
• In August 2016, the Myanmar President visited India, which was the first of a kind visit in over five decades. Also, this was his first foreign visit after assuming office, showcasing the importance Myanmar holds for India. The then Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said that Myanmar was “a key partner in our ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policy.” Both countries also expressed their resolve to strengthen maritime security cooperation in the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar is the fulcrum that will determine the success of the ‘Act East Policy’.
• Major initiatives emphasised by Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi which makes Myanmar to remain high in India’s regional diplomacy include:
  • The ‘Act East’ policy
  • The ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy
  • The ‘Buddhist circuit’ initiative
  • Greater emphasis on regional connectivity and
  • Mandate to strengthen border security
• Myanmar has been in turmoil since February, 2021, when the military seized control of the country in a coup and detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD).
• The military takeover in February 2021, which saw the detention of NLD leaders, created a complex diplomatic challenge. Unlike Western nations, India has adopted a pragmatic stance:
  • The “Dual-Track” Strategy: India continues to advocate for a “return to democracy” and the release of political prisoners while maintaining a functional working relationship with the State Administration Council (SAC).
  • Neighborhood First Priority: India’s engagement is driven by the need to manage the 1,600 km shared border, where instability directly impacts Indian security.
  • ASEAN Centrality: India supports the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus as the primary roadmap for peace, positioning itself as a supportive regional partner rather than an interventionist power.

Economic

• Bilateral and multilateral economic ties and interdependencies help determine the prospects of a country’s domestic economic development as well as its potential for growth and prosperity.
• Understanding such benefits of economic cooperation, India and Myanmar set up in 2003 a Joint Trade Committee (JTC) to appraise their bilateral trade and development. The 6th JTC was co-chaired by the Commerce Ministers of the two countries in the year 2017.
• In 2008, the two countries signed a Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA) and a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).
• Both are also signatories to the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement; geographically, Myanmar is positioned as a bridge between India and the ASEAN member countries.
• Trade: Bilateral trade has expanded significantly from US$ 12.4 million in 1980-81 to US $ 1,338.29 million in 2010-11.
  • India is one of Myanmar’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching roughly $2.1 billion in 2024-25, dominated by agricultural imports like pulses and teak.
  • India’s imports from Myanmar are dominated by agricultural items (beans, pulses and forest-based products form 90% of our imports). India’s main exports to Myanmar are primary and semi-finished steel and pharmaceuticals.
• Energy: Indian firms like GAIL and ONGC Videsh have invested over $1.2 billion in Myanmar’s oil and gas sectors.
  • India has expressed interest in developing petroleum refineries in Myanmar to help the country meet its domestic fuel needs while securing regional supply chains.

Trade and Transit

• India and Myanmar signed a border trade agreement in 1994 and have two operational border trade points Moreh-Tamu and Zowkhatar-Rhi on the 1643 km long border. A third border trade point is proposed to be opened at Avakhung-Pansat/Somrai.
• During the 3rd India-Myanmar Joint Trade Committee in October 2008, it was agreed that Border Trade at the existing points would be upgraded to Normal Trade so as to promote bilateral trade between the two countries. Notifications to this effect have been issued by both sides.
• India and Myanmar signed an important MoU on 22 October 2018 for the appointment of a private Port Operator for the Operation and Maintenance of Sittwe Port and associated facilities included in the Kaladan Multi Model Transit Transport Project.

Physical Connectivity Project between India and Myanmar

Defence cooperation

Strategic Training and Exercises

• Joint Exercises: India continues to engage the Myanmar military through bilateral exercises such as IMBEX (Army) and IMNEX (Navy). These drills focus on interoperability, counter-insurgency, and maritime domain awareness.
• UN Peacekeeping: India remains a key mentor for Myanmar’s participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations, providing specialized training and capacity-building modules.
• Multilateral Engagement: Myanmar remains a regular participant in MILAN, the biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy, which fosters regional maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.

“Made in India” Military Exports

• Myanmar is a critical partner in India’s ambition to become a global defense exporter:
  • Naval Assets: In a landmark move, India transferred INS Sindhuvir (a Kilo-class submarine) to the Myanmar Navy, marking Myanmar’s first-ever submarine capability.
  • Advanced Weaponry: India has exported locally-produced TAL Shyena anti-submarine torpedoes and coastal surveillance radar systems to the Tatmadaw.
  • Future Prospects: Discussions continue regarding the export of HAL Dhruv helicopters and various artillery systems, positioning India as a reliable alternative to traditional suppliers like Russia and China.

Security & Counter-Insurgency

Border Management and Joint Operations

• Operation Sunrise Legacy: Building on the success of Operation Sunrise and Sunrise 2 (2019), both nations maintain a coordinated approach to flushing out insurgent groups like the NSCN-K and ULFA from the porous 1,643 km border.
• Institutional Mechanisms: Regular National Level Meetings (NLM) and Sectoral Level Meetings (SLM) are held between the border guarding forces (Assam Rifles and Myanmar Police/Military) to synchronize intelligence sharing.

Emerging Security Challenges

• The post-2021 environment has introduced new risks to Indian interests:
  • Insurgent Regrouping: The internal conflict in Myanmar has allowed some Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) to find new breathing room. India remains vigilant, engaging the military council to ensure these groups do not destabilize India’s Northeast.
  • Protecting the Kaladan Project: The Arakan Army (AA) and other ethnic armed organizations pose a direct threat to the completion of the Kaladan Multi-Modal project. India has adopted a pragmatic approach, occasionally engaging with local stakeholders to ensure the safety of its infrastructure assets.

Counter-Terrorism and Radicalization

• Rohingya Insurgency: India maintains a firm stance against radicalized elements such as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).
• Global Links: Indian intelligence continues to monitor links between ARSA, Aqa Mul Mujahideen (AMM), and Pakistan-based terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), viewing these connections as a shared threat to regional stability and the security of the Bay of Bengal.

Diaspora and Culture

The Indian Diaspora in Myanmar

• Demographics: There are approximately 1.5 to 2.5 million people of Indian origin (PIOs) currently residing in Myanmar. This community remains a vital bridge for bilateral relations, particularly in urban centers like Yangon and Mandalay.
• Historical Context: Most of the community traces its roots to the British colonial era (starting in 1852), when Indians were central to the civil service, education, and trade sectors of Lower Burma.
• Modern Contribution: Today, the diaspora is heavily involved in the pharmaceutical trade, pulses export, and the retail sector, serving as a primary touchpoint for Indian business interests.

Connectivity and Mobility

• The Agreement on Land Border Crossing (2018) marked a paradigm shift in how people move between the two nations:
  • Visa-Regulated Entry: For the first time, the agreement allowed citizens to cross the land border at Moreh (Manipur) and Zokhawthar (Mizoram) with valid passports and visas.
  • Beyond Trade: This has transformed the border into a corridor for medical tourism (with Myanmar citizens seeking treatment in Indian hospitals) and higher education, while also facilitating easier access for pilgrims and tourists.

Cultural Diplomacy and Shared Heritage

Buddhism: The Spiritual Anchor

• Buddhism is the “Five Bs” foundation of the relationship (Buddhism, Business, Bollywood, Bharatnatyam, and Burma Teak).
  • Restoration Projects: India has taken a lead role in preserving Myanmar’s cultural history. A key example is the MoU for the restoration of ancient pagodas in Bagan, which were damaged during earthquakes. This project showcases Indian expertise in archaeological conservation.
  • The Buddhist Circuit: India actively promotes its Buddhist Circuit initiative—connecting sites like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar—to attract the 80% Buddhist majority of Myanmar, fostering a sense of “deep kinship.”

Capacity Building and Education

• India’s cultural reach is also extended through institutional support:
  • Educational Exchange: Myanmar students are encouraged to attend Nalanda University, reviving an ancient tradition of cross-border learning.
  • IT and Agriculture: Institutions like the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT) in Mandalay and the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education (ACARE) are “Made in India” success stories that build long-term goodwill among the Myanmar youth.

Regional Cooperation

Association of South-East Asian Nation (ASEAN)

• Myanmar became a member of ASEAN in July 1997. As the only ASEAN country which shares a land border with India, Myanmar is a bridge between India and ASEAN.
• A few proposals for cooperation have been implemented and some are under discussions with Myanmar within the framework of ASEAN’s IAI programme.

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral

• Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Myanmar became a member of BIMSTEC in December 1997. Myanmar is a signatory to the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement. Myanmar is the lead country for the energy sector.
• Myanmar trades mostly with Thailand and India in the BIMSTEC region. Myanmar’s major exports to India are agricultural products like beans, pulses and maize and forest products such as teak and hardwoods. Its imports from India include chemical products, pharmaceuticals, electrical appliances and transport equipment.
• The 13th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting was held in Myanmar in January 2011.

Mekong Ganga Cooperation

• Myanmar is a member of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) since its inception in November 2000.
• MGC is an initiative by six countries – India and five ASEAN countries namely, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – for cooperation in the fields of tourism, education, culture, transport and communication.
• The chairmanship of MGC is assumed by member countries in alphabetical order.

South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

• Myanmar was given the status of observer in SAARC in August 2008. Myanmar request for full membership of SAARC has India’s support as it holds a lot of promise for their engagement which at a strategic and economic level, would prove to be mutually beneficial.

Disaster relief

• India has a consistent track record of providing immediate relief following major natural disasters in Myanmar:
  • Natural Disasters: Significant aid was provided following the Shan State earthquake (2011), Cyclone Komen (2015), and Cyclone Mora (2017).
  • Operation Karuna (2023): In one of its most significant recent efforts, India launched Operation Karuna to assist Myanmar following the devastation of Cyclone Mocha. Indian Navy ships delivered over 40 tonnes of critical relief material, including emergency food, tents, essential medicines, and water pumps.
• Health Diplomacy & Pandemic Response
  • The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the depth of the bilateral health partnership:
    • Vaccine Maitri: In early 2021, India gifted 1.7 million doses of “Made in India” vaccines to Myanmar.
    • Medical Supplies: Throughout the pandemic, India provided liquid medical oxygen, ventilators, and PPE kits to help Myanmar’s healthcare system manage successive waves of the virus.
• Capacity Building in Disaster Management
  • India has transitioned from providing just physical goods to sharing technical expertise:
    • National Disaster Response: India has offered to help strengthen Myanmar’s National Disaster Response Mechanism through training programs conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
    • Risk Mitigation: Cooperation includes sharing satellite data from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for early warning systems and disaster risk mapping.

 Capacity Building

• Capacity building has been accorded priority, with several new institutions set up for agricultural education, information technology and industrial training that have benefited Myanmar youth immensely.
• Myanmar Institute of Information Technology set up in Mandalay with the collaboration of IIIT Bangalore has been a success with all its graduates finding ready employment.
• The Advanced Centre for Agriculture Research and Education set up in collaboration with India’s ICAR is a fine example of pooling research efforts on pulses and oilseeds.
• India has also proposed to build a petroleum refinery in Myanmar. This is an indication of Myanmar’s growing significance in India.
• With the expansion of training facilities and supply of defence equipment needed by the Myanmar military, India has consistently strengthened defence ties.
• India’s timely help of medicines and equipment to fight the corona pandemic.
• A number of Indian companies have also set up operations in Myanmar, including oil and gas players like the ONGC Videsh and GAIL.
• India has also agreed to train Myanmar army officers and allow them to study at military academies in India.

Significance of Myanmar for India

• As India unveiled its Look East policy in the early 1990s, Myanmar became quite central to Delhi’s engagement with South East Asia.
• Myanmar is the natural land bridge between India and South-East Asia. Given the vast and shared maritime frontier in the Bay of Bengal and southern Myanmar’s location at the nexus between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the eastern neighbour has also become an important element of India’s new maritime calculus.
• As SAARC situation is in doldrums, India is looking towards a platform like BIMSTEC and Myanmar can play a salient role in this new strategic setting.
• The security of North-Eastern States of India requires Myanmar cooperation in checking insurgency and trafficking. Myanmar, though not a part of the South China Sea dispute, is both directly and indirectly affected. The direct impact is geographic as it shares borders with China. As regards the US-China rivalry and rising Chinese assertiveness in the region, cooperation with Myanmar is of strategic importance to India.
• As part of India’s SAGAR Vision, India developed the Sittwe port in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
  • The port is meant to be India’s answer to the Chinese-fronted Kyaukpyu port, which is intended to cement China’s geostrategic footprint in Rakhine.
• It is therefore in India’s interest to see Myanmar prevail as a stable and autonomous country, thereby making possible greater bilateral engagement in India-Myanmar relations.

India’s primary interests in Myanmar

• To build an economic and security relationship that prevent Myanmar from slipping into the orbit of China.
• Ensure the Myanmar military’s cooperation in preventing Northeastern militants, most notably Naga insurgents, from using Myanmar as a safe haven.
• Support the country’s transition into a full-fledged federal democracy.
• Ameliorate the plight of the Rohingyas as well as ensure the tense relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar do not spiral out of control.

Challenges in Relations

Internal Instability and the “Dual-Track” Dilemma

• The most significant challenge is the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. As of 2026, the military junta (SAC) reportedly controls only about 21% of the territory, while the National Unity Government (NUG) and various Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) hold roughly 42%.
• Engagement Conflict: India faces a delicate balancing act. It must engage the military junta to secure the border and protect infrastructure projects, but this risks alienating the democratic resistance and the broader Myanmar public.
• Stakeholder Fragmentation: India’s traditional G2G (Government-to-Government) policy is challenged by the fact that many of its strategic projects, like the Kaladan road component, pass through territories now controlled by EAOs such as the Arakan Army (AA).

Border Security and the FMR Suspension

• Due to insurgency, India faces security and strategic challenges along the porous Indo-Myanmar border. Cross-border crime, including goods, arms and counterfeit Indian currency, smuggling, drug trafficking, is a challenge along the Indo-Myanmar border.
  • Given this context, India’s insurgency problems in the Northeast cannot be effectively tackled without Myanmar’s support.
• In early 2024, the Indian government made the landmark decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and move toward fencing the entire 1,643-km border.
  • Security Concerns: The suspension was driven by “internal security” needs, specifically to curb the movement of insurgents, drug traffickers, and the smuggling of arms and counterfeit currency.
  • Ethnic Resistance: Fencing is met with strong opposition in states like Mizoram, where local communities share deep ethnic and familial ties with the Chin people across the border. This creates a friction point between the Central government’s security priorities and the socio-cultural realities of border states.

Economic:

• India-Myanmar trade has remained below mutual expectations. This was due to Myanmar setting artificially high official exchange rates for its currency. Further, there was a near absence of financial infrastructure, such as banks and associated financial regulations.

Connectivity:

• The absence of land and maritime connectivity networks between India and Myanmar has contributed to the low levels of trade with India.

Stalled Infrastructure Projects

• India’s flagship connectivity projects have faced severe delays due to the conflict:
  • Kaladan Project: While the Sittwe Port is operational, the road component connecting it to Mizoram has seen only marginal progress (reportedly as low as 10% on some segments) due to active fighting in Rakhine and Chin states.
  • Trilateral Highway: Security concerns for workers and disruptions in supply chains have repeatedly pushed back the completion date for the highway meant to link India to Thailand.

Relations with China:

• The growing dependence of Myanmar on China is reflected from the elevation of bilateral relation to “a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” Mynamar and China has agreed to enhance cooperation in border management and secure greater coordination in dealing with the U.N. and ASEAN.
• President of Myanmar called the equation with China “the closest and most important diplomatic relationship.” Increased dependence of China is detrimental to India’s interest and stability of the region.

Structural Displacement by China

• China has established a “structural advantage” in Myanmar that remains largely unaffected by political transitions.
• Strategic Entrenchment: Through the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and investments totaling nearly $22 billion, Beijing has secured critical energy pipelines from Kyaukphyu to Kunming, bypassing the Strait of Malacca.
• The “Tightening Arc”: India’s Northeast is increasingly bracketed by Chinese-backed infrastructure in both Myanmar to the east and Bangladesh to the west. China’s role as the primary defence supplier and diplomatic backer for the junta makes it difficult for India to offer a comparable alternative.

Trans-Border Militancy:

• The ambush by NSCN (K) on June 4, 2015, on the convoy of an Indian Army in Chandel district in Manipur, killing 18 soldiers and injuring 15, and the counter strike by the Indian Army on June 9 on two separate groups of insurgents along the India-Myanmar border have given a new dimension to the trans-border militancy with Myanmar. Later, surgical strikes by the Indian Army on the insurgent groups inflicted huge damage on ultras.

Rohingya Crisis:

• There are 16,500 Rohingya spread across several cities in India. The long burning issue of the Rohingyas in Myanmar has recently become a point of debate in India, with the Indian government insisting on their deportation based on perceived threats to India’s national security that connect radical Rohingya groups to Jihadist organisations. India’s claim to send the Rohingyas back to Myanmar rests on the notion that the refugees are of Burmese origin. However, the Burmese do not consider the Rohingyas as their citizens and consider them to be immigrants who were brought in from Bangladesh during the British colonial rule. The passing around of the responsibility of the Rohingyas from one state to another has resulted in this group of around one million floating in mid-air to be coined ‘stateless’ by the United Nations.
• Initially, India was perceived as reticent to take any firm stance on the Rohingya issue, and that reticence was substantially impacting India’s image as a regional leader. China was much more proactive and played a mediatory role in the issue. Later, India categorically conveyed that it wants the “safe, secure, sustainable” return of the Rohingya refugees. To facilitate the sustainable return of the Rohingya, India had signed an agreement with Myanmar in December 2017, with the construction of prefabricated housing in Rakhine state for the displaced persons as a key initiative.

Strategic Outlook: In 2025, India launched Operation Brahma to provide earthquake relief, signaling that despite political hurdles, it remains committed to its role as a “first responder.” However, the path forward requires navigating a “triangular power struggle” between the junta, the NUG, and EAOs while attempting to prevent Myanmar from slipping entirely into China’s orbit.

Way Forward

• Acknowledging the Military’s Primacy: The role of Myanmar’s army would be key to the unfolding of any democratic transition there, so India’s active engagement would be needed with the military.
  • Even as India continues to call for a restoration of the democratic process, it shall engage with the army in Myanmar to address Indian concerns as well. Marginalising the army will only push it into China’s arms.
• Cultural Diplomacy: India’s cultural diplomacy through the lens of Buddhism can be leveraged for strengthening its ties with Myanmar.
  • India’s “Buddhist Circuit” initiative, which seeks to double foreign tourist arrivals by connecting ancient Buddhist heritage sites across different states in India, should resonate with Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
  • This could also build up India’s diplomatic reservoir of goodwill and trust with Buddhist-majority countries such as Myanmar.
• Resolving Rohingyas Issue: The quicker the Rohingya issue is resolved, the easier it will be for India to manage its relations with Myanmar and Bangladesh, focusing instead more on bilateral and subregional economic cooperation.
• India as the largest and a vibrant democracy can share its experience and best practices with Myanmar to make its democratic evolution robust and responsive in coming years.
• Building institutions, human resource development and capacity building are other areas in which both sides can collaborate for mutual benefits. India’s policy towards its religious and ethnic minorities can serve as a glowing example for Myanmar in framing its own policies.

Conclusion

• It is imperative that, like the other immediate neighbours of Myanmar, India too reaches out and shapes its own trajectory in Myanmar.
• The complexity of India’s regional security and neighbourhood demands India to adopt a more nuanced position without losing its essential pragmatism in engaging with Myanmar.
• Over the last two decades, India’s relationship with Myanmar has steadily expanded. The focus was on restoring high level political exchanges, renewing economic ties, and reviving trans-border links between India’s North East and northern Myanmar.
• Moving forward, a proactive India would prevent ceding space to other countries in taking lead on major issues in Myanmar. India, which has high stakes in global and regional governance, must ensure its voice is heard on key issues such as the Rohingya crisis.