Thread by @angshuman_ch

Today, #India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released its Annual Report of 2022.

What does it say about #Myanmar? Any change in tone and content from last year's report?

A thread 🧵 (1/n)

Introductory section:

2022 report projects the usual Indian diplomatic, "neutral" narrative on post-coup #Myanmar – except the following sentence that appeared in the 2021 report:

"Restoration of democracy in Myanmar remains a priority."

L: 2022 report; R: 2021 report (2/n)

Later, however, in the "India's Neighbours" section, it notes how #India has, among other things, called for "#Myanmar's return to democracy at the earliest." (3/n)

Detailed section on #Myanmar runs almost 2 full pages in the latest report as opposed to the brief 1-pager in the 2021 edition. Outlines a flurry of activity between #India, junta and junta-aligned entities over 2022.

The images chosen for 2022 (L) & 2021 (R) are telling (4/n):

Bilateral trade between #India & #Myanmar increased to USD 1.895 billion in FY 2021-22 from USD 1.299 billion in FY 2020-21. That's a jump of 31.45% during the first year after the coup. MoU signed with junta in June '21 led to a 99.9% jump in imports of pulses/lentils. (5/n)

In Sep '22, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) organised an 'India Myanmar Business Meet' to encourage commerce between both. Indian ambassador in Yangon & junta-appointed ambassador in New Delhi were chief guests in the inaugural ceremony. (6/n)

In Sep '22, Indian Pulses & Grain Association (IPGA) hosted a trade delegation from #Myanmar led by junta-appointed Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Tin Htut Oo, to encourage direct pulses trade b/w both using local currencies. (7/n)

aninews.in/news/business/…

The report says that India "handed over" the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT) to #Myanmar (Mandalay) in March 2022. 🇮🇳 assisted in the "supply of equipment, training material, and course design in IT." (8/n)

Report also says that #India "handed over" the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education (ACARE) to #Myanmar in March 2022.

It was inaugurated by former Indian President, Ram Nath Kovind, in Dec 2018. (9/n)

Report notes that under #India's ITEC programme, in 2022, 30 #Myanmar nationals have received paramedical training, 19 enrolled in Masters in Social Work in TISS Mumbai, & others in Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) & ISI, Kolkata. ICCR scholarships also offered. (10/n)

Regarding its large infrastructure/connectivity projects in #Myanmar, such as #Kaladan & IMT Trilateral Highway, MEA report says that their "pace of implementation [...] has suffered due to the security situation." But, 41 projects are under implementation in border areas. (11/n)

There's more. But, overall, the 2022 report shows what many of us already knew: the Indian government has moved closer to the #Myanmar junta in 2022, resuming "normal" bilateral engagements.

Read the full report here: mea.gov.in/Uploads/Public… (12/n)