India, Myanmar reviews defence cooperation, focuses on training and border security

Guwahati: India and Myanmar hold their 3rd Defence Cooperation Meeting in Guwahati on October 7, with both sides reviewing ongoing defence initiatives and discussing new measures to strengthen military cooperation, particularly in training, capacity building and mutual security. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Myanmar’s Chief of Armed Forces Training Lt Gen Pyae Sone Linn co-chair the meeting.

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The two sides review the progress of initiatives agreed during the previous Defence Cooperation Meeting held in Yangon in 2025 and exchange views on further areas of cooperation. The decision to hold the dialogue in Guwahati for the first time gives added importance to the meeting, as India’s Northeast directly borders Myanmar and faces security challenges linked to developments across the frontier.

Border security, training and operational capacity building remain important elements of the wider India-Myanmar security relationship. India and Myanmar share a 1,643-km land border, while bilateral security mechanisms also address concerns such as insurgency, narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling and other transnational crimes. In July, the two countries also agree to strengthen intelligence sharing, operational coordination and capacity-building initiatives.

The Myanmar side also appreciates India’s humanitarian assistance through Operation Brahma, under which India provides relief and assistance following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar. The humanitarian response adds another dimension to India’s role as a first responder and close neighbour.

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The defence engagement follows other high-level military interactions this year. In May, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi visits Myanmar and discusses maritime engagement, training exchanges, Mobile Training Teams, hydrography and interoperability with the Myanmar Navy. The two sides also explore cooperation to strengthen maritime security in the Bay of Bengal.

The latest meeting therefore reinforces India’s effort to combine defence cooperation, capacity building and border security with its broader Neighbourhood First and Act East approach. For New Delhi, stronger institutional engagement with Myanmar remains important not only for bilateral defence ties but also for stability along the Northeast and security in the wider Bay of Bengal region.

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