Hot pursuit: NSA Doval to visit Myanmar to scale up war on rebels

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the mastermind behind the audacious headline-hogging operation that liquidated militants along the India-Myanmar border this week, is set to visit Myanmar soon to explore “joint action” against insurgents by the two countries.

Mr Doval will be visiting Myanmar at the invitation of Major General (Retd) Aung Min, Minister in President Thein Sein’s office.

During his meeting with Myanmar’s leadership, Mr Doval is expected to offer intelligence support to the Myanmar government in fighting insurgents and seek stronger coordinated action against anti-India insurgent groups in Myanmar. Considering the limited capability of the Myanmar Army, he will also carry satellite images as well as communication intercepts of anti-India insurgent camps in Myanmar to help Yangon take action against them.

In the June 9 operation, two camps of NSCN (K) and a camp of Meitei militants from the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup (KYKL) cadre camp were annihilated in a well-planned strike by the Indian Army. After the operation, India’s Ambassador to Myanmar Gautam Mukhopadhaya reviewed the situation with senior Myanmar’s officials in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.

India and Myanmar had signed the MoU on border cooperation on May 8 last year. The agreement provided a framework for security cooperation and exchange of information between security agencies of the two countries. It also included conducting coordinated patrols along their international border and maritime boundary by their respective armed forces. It was this pact the Indian army had invoked on June 9 to carry out surgical strikes against militants. India’s Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar was also in Myanmar last week to discuss security cooperation.

The 1,600 km India-Myanmar boundary is not under the control of the Myanmar’s Army. Which has helped rebels in India’s northeast region set up their bases in along the boundary in Myanmar, and they find it easy to traverse through to reach China.

Meanwhile, an official in the Myanmar government has denied that the operation carried out by the Indian Army took place inside its territory.

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