Myanmar leader and Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is on a week-long visit to New Delhi. India needs to develop close ties with that country as it is of crucial importance to our security system and energy requirements. When Suu Kyi was awarded the Nehru prize in early 1990s, the ruling junta in Myanmar, which had stolen the general elections of 1990 from her party, made its displeasure clear. Over the years India has been trying to strike balance of sorts between the Generals in Myanmar and the democratic movement led by Madam Su. During address to the Indian Parliament in November 2010, President Barack Obama had exhorted India to be outspoken against the Generals in Yangon. Now that Suu Kyi is free and will be having a say in the affairs of her country and also a place in the forum of leading international political fraternity, India has done the right thing of opening red carpet to her. Here we have a very valuable chance of incorporating Myanmar into our wider South East Asian strategy. This has to be apart from the Asia-Pacific Partnership strategy of the US. We can have dependable opportunities of trade and energy relations with that country. Suu Kyi has been somewhat nostalgic about her old association with India, Lady Sri Ram College where she studied and the civil lines of New Delhi where she stayed with her mother, the then Burmese Ambassador to India. She is excited in reviving forty-six year old memories of her stay in India. All this helps in making smooth the ground for more meaningful cooperation between India and Myanmar in years to come. India has the long tradition of warmly welcoming friends and freedom fighters who struggle for democratic and just political dispensation for their countries. Helping Su is actually supporting democratic aspirations of a neighbouring country. Visits by top leadership is always useful in cementing political, economic and social ties.
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