SynopsisPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing held talks in New Delhi focused on security cooperation, border management, connectivity projects, cybercrime and critical minerals.PTIThis is a representative image.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi on Monday, with security cooperation, border management, regional stability and critical minerals emerging as key areas of discussion.The two leaders held detailed discussions covering all major aspects of the bilateral relationship, including trade and economic cooperation, defence and security, border management and regional developments, foreign secretary Vikram Misri told media after the talks.A key outcome of the talks was Myanmar’s renewed assurance regarding India’s security concerns. According to Misri, both countries stressed the importance of ensuring that their territories are not used for activities harmful to each other’s security interests.India and Myanmar share an over 1,600-km long land boundary and New Delhi has been concerned over cross-border insurgency with some Indian insurgent groups from the Northeastern states operating from the Myanmar territory adjoining India. The Myanmar Army has cooperated with India to handle these insurgent groups but the military of the neighbouring country does not control entire areas along the country’s borders.Misri pointed out that the two leaders also decided to be in touch on the issue of critical minerals and rare earths. ET reported on Monday that India has been keen to harness rare earths from Myanmar. China has been harnessing rare earths from Myanmar necessary for creating permanent magnets for EVs.The two leaders also discussed the need to accelerate connectivity initiatives, including the strategically important Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Both sides are understood to have stressed the importance of completing the project, which is expected to strengthen trade links and improve connectivity between India’s northeast and Southeast Asia.Modi also reiterated India’s support for Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while both countries underlined the importance of maintaining close cooperation on regional issues. The Myanmar President chose India as the destination for first trip abroad since his election in April.The two leaders discussed the growing threat posed by cyber scam networks operating along Myanmar’s border regions, with New Delhi emphasising that the issue is not merely a bilateral security concern but also requires greater regional cooperation.Misri said India and Myanmar have been cooperating closely to tackle the issue of cyber scam compounds, leading to the repatriation of over 2,400 Indian citizens over the past 18 months from the Southeast Asian country, while efforts are underway to secure the return of around 150 others.“This is something which we have been cooperating with Myanmar on over a period of time. Over the course of the last year and a half, we have been able to repatriate 2,411 Indian citizens from cyber scam compounds in Myanmar, especially in the bordering regions in southeast Myanmar. As of now, from the latest counts, we have possibly slightly over 150-odd Indian citizens that we know of, about whom we have reports, who are still stuck in some of these cyber scam compounds. We are in touch with the Myanmar government to try and repatriate the remaining people as well,” Misri stated.“And it’s important to note that, while Indian nationals remain trapped there, they are usually trafficked there through a third country. And that just underlines the need for not just more bilateral cooperation related to this issue, which is also a security issue between the two countries, but also underlines the need for greater regional cooperation on this matter in this particular region. This was raised today as well, and we have raised it in several other bilateral forums between the two countries,” he added.The Myanmar President also attended an India-Myanmar Business Conclave, jointly organised by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry on the Myanmar side and by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on the Indian side. The conclave, held here on Sunday, provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on trade and commerce. Bilateral trade between India and Myanmar currently stands at over $600 million in Indian exports and more than $1.5 billion in Myanmar’s exports. The Myanmar President also visited the NTPC Energy Technology Centre on Sunday. He will leave for Mumbai on Tuesday, where he is scheduled to visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Port and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.Read More News on