New Delhi, Dec 8 ( LatestNewsX ) – India made clear on Monday that it is backing Myanmar’s return to democracy and hopes the upcoming polls will be conducted in a manner that truly reflects free, fair and inclusive electoral norms.
“India supports transition to democracy in Myanmar and is of the view that participation of all stakeholders is important for the credibility of the elections/electoral exercise that is going to happen there,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said during a weekly media briefing.
“It needs to be free, fair and inclusive. India will continue to support all efforts that advance peace, dialogue and a return to normalcy in the country,” he added.
Last month, an advocacy group based in the United States urged foreign governments to refuse the military junta’s planned elections scheduled from late December 2025 through January 2026, arguing they would lack genuine freedom, fairness or inclusivity.
The organization claimed that the 2021 coup has led the junta to systematically dismantle the rule of law and Myanmar’s fledgling democratic institutions, while increasingly repressing and violently targeting opposition ahead of the vote.
On Nov. 28, Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN human‑rights office (OHCHR), described the forthcoming exercise as a military‑controlled ballot conducted in an environment “rife with threats and violence” that actively stifles political participation.
He noted that many major political parties have been excluded and that more than 30,000 political opponents—including members of the elected government and elected representatives—have been detained since the coup.
“Far from being a process that could spearhead a political transition from crisis to stability and the restoration of democratic and civilian rule, this process seems nearly certain to further ingrain insecurity, fear and polarisation throughout the country,” Laurence told reporters in Geneva.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), people across Myanmar are still coping with the compounded effects of multiple crises, including ongoing conflict, seasonal flooding, and the devastating earthquake that struck in March 2025.
India has positioned itself as a “first responder” in regional emergencies. After the March 28 earthquake, it launched “Operation Brahma” to provide search‑and‑rescue operations, humanitarian aid, disaster relief and medical assistance.
” When the last earthquake happened in Myanmar. We were one of the first responders. We sent in a large team to provide relief to people. We also provided humanitarian assistance, medical support. We set up a temporary hospital there and subsequent to that we continue to offer whatever help that we can so that people’s lives can come back to normal. We have development cooperation assistance with Myanmar which is an important part of our collaboration,” Jaiswal said on Monday.
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