Continuing its bilateral military relationship with Myanmar, India is training Myanmar military officers in reconnaissance aeroplanes, which are being sold to the military junta government at “friendship prices”.
At least four pilots from the Myanmar air force (called Tamdaw Lay) were trained in the BN Islander aircraft at the naval aviation facility at INS Garuda in Kochi, according to a report in the aviation magazine Vayu. The naval headquarters has refused to make any comment on the report.
For a long time, India has been maintaining a hush-hush military relationship with Myanmar, with a steady supply of military hardware including 105 mm field guns, tanks, naval boats, small arms, grenades, launchers and ammunition.Four islander aircraft of the 1970 vintage have also been supplied to Myanmar at a subsidised price. The Indian navy is currently phasing out the islanders and replacing them with Dorniers made at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.