Indian Navy Chief Visiting Myanmar; Defense Deals Top Agenda

India's Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehra has embarked on a nine-day tour of Burma and Singapore to give a leg up to bilateral ties and military cooperation with the neighbouring countries. His visit begins on Wednesday.

Heading a high level naval delegation, the Navy Chief delegation will hold talks with top leaders of the ruling Burmese military junta during his stay in Rangoon. "The issue of arms transfer to Myanmar is likely to figure prominently during the Naval Chief's parleys with SDPC members," a former naval officer and currently director of India's leading think tank told 'Mizzima News' on condition of anonymity.

India recently supplied Burma with two Islander Naval surveillance aircraft as well as small naval gun boats and light artillery guns as part of its effort to strengthen military ties with Burma.

The strategic importance of Burma in the Indian Ocean has made India look towards naval cooperation with Burma. A number of Indian naval personnel have been visiting Burma off late. Former Indian Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh had visited the key Burma naval base of Coco Islands in 2003. His successor former Admiral Arun Prakash had visited Burma in January 2006 where he presented a consignment of communication equipment to his counterpart.

Admiral Mehra is the second Indian Navy Chief to visit Burma in a year's time. He will tour Singapore after his visit to Burma , to attend the International Maritime exhibition. The Indian Navy has sent two warships to take part in the exhibition.

Cooperation between India and Burmese navies seems to be forgoing ahead. Two Indian warships, INS Ranjit and ISN Kuthar did joint naval maneuvers with the Burmese Navy in December 2005. The Indian warships' visit to Burma ports was the third, in the past three years.

In December 2002, an Indian naval fleet, comprising a submarine and two destroyers, berthed at the Rangoon Port. Then in September 2003, two more Indian warships carried out four-day joint naval maneuvers with the Burmese Navy. In exchange, a Burmese corvette docked at Port Blair to take part in "Milan 2006." This was the first time in four decades that a Burmese ship had visited a foreign port.