Opportunity in Myanmar for U.S.-India Strategic Coordination

By Amer Latif & Nicholas Lombardo

Bagan sunrise in Myanmar. Sustained political reform in Myanmar represents an opportunity for U.S.-India strategic engagement. Source: druidabruxux's flickr photostream, used under a creative commons license.

With the recent decision by the United States to restore full diplomatic relations with Myanmar, prompted by the country’s nascent political reforms and release of political prisoners, 2012 is set to be a pivotal year for Myanmar’s relations with its neighbors and with the West. In recent months, Myanmar has hosted Thailand’s prime minister, foreign ministers from Indonesia and Japan, and historic visits by U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton and British foreign secretary William Hague. Naypyidaw, sent a parliamentary delegation to Delhi in mid-December to study the rules and practices of the Indian parliament, signaling its interest in alternate democratic processes, and India’s army chief, General V.K. Singh, visited Myanmar for bilateral consultations this past week. The gradual changes in Myanmar also provide an opportunity for closer policy collaboration between United States and India in the year ahead.

Until recently, Washington and Delhi have historically taken divergent approaches to relations with Naypyidaw (the capital was Yangon until 2005). While the United States has aimed to isolate Myanmar politically and economically with sanctions directed at the military junta’s human rights abuses and suppression of democracy, India shifted away from a similar stance during the 1990s after becoming wary of losing influence with Myanmar vis-à-vis China. Delhi and Naypyidaw have cooperated since then on areas of mutual strategic interest including infrastructure development, counterterrorism, military-to-military relations, and science and technology training.

Yet, as Indian ambassador Rajiv Bhatia points out in a recent ICRIER publication, the United States has criticized India in the past for its approach to relations with Myanmar’s government. During President Obama’s state visit to India in November 2010, Bhatia notes, the president called out India in a speech to parliament for often avoiding issues of democracy and human rights violations “in international fora.” He urged India to accept expanded international responsibilities commensurate with its role as an emerging power, including the condemnation of violations in Myanmar.

Now, following Secretary Clinton’s December visit to Myanmar and the restoration of diplomatic ties, the United States and India have an opportunity for closer engagement on Myanmar. Taken in the context of the U.S. “pivot” toward Asia, there is a growing consensus in Washington that the United States should consider democracy and human rights issues in the context of other common interests with India, such as supporting Myanmar’s “strategic flexibility” vis-à-vis China and developing its ability to contribute to economic prosperity in Southeast Asia. Accordingly, Secretary Clinton suggested the United States would no longer stand in the way of some types of World Bank and IMF assistance in Myanmar. Under current U.S. law, allowing more substantive assistance would necessitate a lifting of current sanctions with a phased approach starting with the more recent “JADE Act” of 2008. The United States should also engage India as a close dialogue partner on political developments both bilaterally and at the UN Security Council where India is currently a member.

As events unfold in 2012, the United States and India would be well advised to engage more closely on the significant political changes currently underway in Myanmar. Doing so will not only enhance the U.S.-India partnership and India’s role as a leader in regional security, but will also send a strong signal to the rest of Asia of Washington and New Delhi’s ability to more closely coordinate on an area of common strategic interest.

Dr. S. Amer Latif is a Visiting Fellow with the CSIS Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies and Nicholas Lombardo is Program Coordinator for the Wadhwani Chair at CSIS.

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