National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will visit Myanmar on June 17 where he will meet their top leaders, which could include President U. Thein Sein, days after Indian Army carried out a counter-insurgency operation along the India-Myanmar border.
Asserting that the two governments have been in “constant touch”, top government sources said Mr. Doval will undertake the visit with a view to discuss with authorities possibilities of “further joint action” against Northeast insurgents.
Mr. Doval, who is said to have been closely involved in planning June 9 operation along the India-Myanmar border, will also meet senior security and defence officials during his visit. An appointment with the President has also been sought.
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Noting that the armies of the two countries have “excellent” working relations, sources rejected reports that Myanmar has expressed displeasure or protest against Indian Army’s operation against insurgents.
The sources have maintained that India invoked May 2014 Border Agreement with Myanmar on border cooperation which provides for a framework for security cooperation and exchange of information between security agencies of the two countries.
A key provision of the pact was conduct of coordinated patrols on their respective sides of the international border and the maritime boundary by the Armed Forces of the two countries.
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In a pre-dawn cross-border operation, elite commandos of the army in coordination with the air force went a few kilometres inside Myanmarese territory to destroy two camps of insurgents hiding there after their recent attacks in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh by suspected NSCN(K) and KYKL outfits.