India supplying military hardware to Myanmar
Dated 4/10/2006
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Ignoring protests from Western countries, India has begun transferring military equipment to Myanmar's military junta in order to neutralise China's burgeoning defence, diplomatic and economic ties with Yangon.
In August, unmindful of British protests, the Indian Navy transferred two BN-2 'Defender' Islander maritime surveillance aircraft and deck-based air-defence guns and varied surveillance equipment to Myanmar.
Soon after the navy announced its intention of supplying the British-built Islanders to Myanmar following Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash's visit to Yangon in January, Britain had declared that it would be unable to provide spares and maintenance support for them as it opposed the country's military administration.
Alongside, India had quietly transferred other hardware to the Myanmarese military.
'We have recommended and started giving them (Myanmar) 105-mm Indian field guns,' Indian Army Vice-Chief Lt. Gen. S. Pattabhiraman told Force magazine recently.
In the past we had given them 75/24 Howitzers, Pattabhiraman declared adding that though the numbers were not 'much' they were neither 'symbolic'.
Last month Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt finalised negotiations in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) to supply it varied military hardware in return for the military junta's cooperation in flushing out separatist groups like United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) that have long used Myanmar's dense jungles as a sanctuary.
In exchange for an unspecified number of T-55 tanks - which the Indian army is retiring - armoured personal carriers, 105-mm light artillery guns, mortars and the locally designed advanced light helicopters, Delhi also wants to conduct joint military operations against north-eastern militant groups along the 1,643-km-long Myanmar frontier.
In anticipation of the army's anti-insurgency offensive in the region expected later this month, the security forces have stepped up vigil along its borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan to 'tie-in' the insurgents.
Dutt's visit, however, was kept under wraps because of Western sensitivity to engaging with Myanmar's military regime.
The defence ministry refused to comment on the moves.
On Sep 15 the UN Security Council led by the US and Britain added Myanmar to its list of countries considered a threat to international peace and security.
The US is also pushing for a strong resolution on the ongoing human rights abuses in Myanmar and the continued incarceration by the military junta of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
