India seeks to play role to ease Myanmar crisis

Members of ethnic rebel group Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) taking part in a training exercise at their base camp in the forest in Myanmar's northern Shan State. - AFP

NEW DELHI (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): India is seeking to play a role in helping to formulate a plan for crisis-hit Myanmar by recently hosting the second meeting of a Track 1.5 dialogue involving mid-level officials, including those from Myanmar, and academics.

While the back-channel diplomatic dialogue is a Thai-led initiative, India is seeking, through these semi-official talks, to be part of a regional solution, with the crisis in Myanmar having the potential to bring instability along the border with India, said analysts.