Controversial Myanmar Elections: India's Monitoring Role

India plans to send teams to monitor Myanmar's December elections, a move seen as supporting the vote criticized by some as a sham. The elections follow a military coup in 2021 and occur amid ongoing civil unrest. India hopes for fair elections with inclusive participation.

India is set to send monitoring teams for Myanmar's general election in December, signaling support for the controversial vote, Myanmar state media reported Monday. Critics have already dismissed the upcoming elections as a sham.

Myanmar's military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China, marking a rare diplomatic engagement for the general, largely isolated after the 2021 coup.

Ahead of the election, scheduled for December 28, India's foreign ministry expressed hopes for a 'fair and inclusive' election, even as concerns over irregularities and ongoing conflict persist. Meanwhile, China's President Xi Jinping has also pledged support for Myanmar’s electoral preparations.