India Attends Myanmar Military Parade Amid Coup Unrest: Reports

Russia, China, Pakistan and four other countries also sent representatives to Myanmar to be part of the parade.

An anti-coup protestor raises his hand with clenched fist in front of a crowd during a candlelight night rally in Yangon, Myanmar on Sunday, 14 March.

(Image: PTI/ Altered by The Quint)

India was among the eight nations that sent representatives to attend Myanmar’s annual military parade in its capital city of Naypyitaw on 27 March, reported The Times of India.

Over 100 anti-coup protesters were reportedly killed in the country by its security forces on the same day that the event took place.

As per The Indian Express, Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand also sent representatives to Myanmar to be part of the parade to mark Tatmadaw Day on Saturday.

“Since diplomatic relations between both the countries continue, diplomatic commitments are also continuing,” a senior official in South Block told The Indian Express.

Military Chiefs of 12 Countries Condemn Myanmar Military’s Actions

A day before the parade took place, military chiefs of 12 countries, including the US, issued a statement condemning the action of the Myanmarese military against protesters.

As per the statement, General Mark A Milley, chairperson of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined “chiefs of defence from Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom in calling on the military junta in Burma – also called Myanmar – to follow international standards of military professionalism.”

Unfazed by the loss of human lives and the ensuing international criticism, Myanmar Junta Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in his televised speech on the occasion of Armed Forces Day, said that terrorism can be “harmful to state’s tranquility and social security”.

India has called upon the Myanmar leadership to resolve the differences in a peaceful manner.

The death toll in Myanmar has been on the rise, as security forces grow increasingly violent in suppressing those protesting the 1 February coup that had overthrown the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

(With inputs from The Times of India, The Indian Express)