Contrarian
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2006
- Messages
- 11,571
- Reaction score
- 4
India boosts military aid to Myanmar
20 May, 2007 l 0139 hrs ISTlRajat Pandit/TIMES NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI: India has further stepped up military aid to Myanmar to counter China's strong influence in Yangon as well as to get its military junta's continuing support in flushing out Indian insurgent groups operating from its soil.
After selling three naval Islander aircraft to Myanmar at "friendship prices", India transferred another one of them to Yangon during Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta's trip there last week, said officials.
In fact, plans are afoot to give Myanmar even more Islanders, bought from UK in the late-1970s, since the Indian Navy is phasing them out due to its Rs 726-crore acquisition of 11 new Dornier-228s for medium-range maritime reconnaissance and patrolling.
Moreover, apart from technical support and training, the transfer of 105mm light artillery guns, T-55 tanks, naval gun-boats, mortars, grenade-launchers, rifles and other small arms to Myanmar is already underway.
India also plans to provide Myanmar with some armaments and electronic equipment, including radars manufactured by Bharat Electronics Ltd, for its warships like frigates and corvettes.
With India shrugging aside western concerns about supplying military equipment to Myanmar due to real politik reasons, the level of bilateral military engagement and cooperative mechanisms has also been bolstered to a high degree.
In fact, Admiral Mehta's visit was just the latest in the series of high-level visits to Myanmar, with external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, Army chief General J J Singh and defence secretary Shekhar Dutt, among others, travelling to the country in recent times.
This has come after several years of supporting the democratic movement led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_boosts_military_aid_to_Myanmar/articleshow/2062306.cms
20 May, 2007 l 0139 hrs ISTlRajat Pandit/TIMES NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI: India has further stepped up military aid to Myanmar to counter China's strong influence in Yangon as well as to get its military junta's continuing support in flushing out Indian insurgent groups operating from its soil.
After selling three naval Islander aircraft to Myanmar at "friendship prices", India transferred another one of them to Yangon during Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta's trip there last week, said officials.
In fact, plans are afoot to give Myanmar even more Islanders, bought from UK in the late-1970s, since the Indian Navy is phasing them out due to its Rs 726-crore acquisition of 11 new Dornier-228s for medium-range maritime reconnaissance and patrolling.
Moreover, apart from technical support and training, the transfer of 105mm light artillery guns, T-55 tanks, naval gun-boats, mortars, grenade-launchers, rifles and other small arms to Myanmar is already underway.
India also plans to provide Myanmar with some armaments and electronic equipment, including radars manufactured by Bharat Electronics Ltd, for its warships like frigates and corvettes.
With India shrugging aside western concerns about supplying military equipment to Myanmar due to real politik reasons, the level of bilateral military engagement and cooperative mechanisms has also been bolstered to a high degree.
In fact, Admiral Mehta's visit was just the latest in the series of high-level visits to Myanmar, with external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, Army chief General J J Singh and defence secretary Shekhar Dutt, among others, travelling to the country in recent times.
This has come after several years of supporting the democratic movement led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_boosts_military_aid_to_Myanmar/articleshow/2062306.cms
.
