Suu Kyi to Modi: India is my second home

NAY PYI TAW: In their first meeting in Myanmar’s capital, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar’s iconic pro-democracy leader smiled radiantly, and happily posed for photographs.

The two met at the Presidential Suite at Park Royal Hotel here where India’s prime minister is staying for the India-ASEAN and the 18-nation East Asia Summit. There was a lot of warmth during the meeting, with Modi inviting the India-educated Nobel laureate to the country where her mother served as an ambassador many decades ago. Suu Kyi, who studied in Delhi’s prestigious Lady Shriram College, glowingly described India as “her second home.”

Mr Modi’s meeting with Suu Kyi took place amid a raging debate in Myanmar on whether to allow Suu Kyi, Chairperson and General Secretary of the National League for Democracy, to contest the 2015 parliamentary elections.

Currently, she is barred from contesting elections due to a provision in the Constitution.

Mr Modi began a three-day trip to Myanmar November 11, with a meeting with Myanmar’s reformist president Thein Sein. The two leaders agreed to ramp up economic, energy and developmental cooperation across the spectrum.

“The three main issues that they focused on were connectivity between India and Myanmar, cultural contacts, and commercial ties,” Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson of India’s external affairs ministry, said in Myanmar’s capital.

Mr Modi held wide-ranging talks with the leaders of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc at the 12th India-ASEAN summit November 12. He will mark his debut at the East Asia Summit November 13, which will focus on evolving the security architecture in the region.

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