The new army chief, Gen Deepak Kapoor, on Monday pitched for having a “close relationship” with Myanmar even though the Ministry of External Affairs continues to maintain a guarded approach towards the military crackdown on civilian protestors in Yangon and Mandalay.

“We are for maintaining a close relationship (with Myanmar)," the new chief said after laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyothi at India Gate.  Asked about the turmoil in Myanmar created by the military junta, who fired indiscriminately on the civilians demanding their democratic rights, Gen Kapoor said it was an internal problem of the Myanmar government.

His guarded remarks are probably because of India’s close strategic relationship with the junta which aids the Centre fighting insurgency in the North West. Also a close bilateral link ensures that the balance of power in south Asia does not tilt towards China. For a long time, India is supplying military hardware including 105 mm field guns, tanks, naval boats, small arms, grenades, launchers and ammunitions to Myanmar. Four BN islander aircraft of the 1970 vintage have also been given to Myanmar at a throw away price.

Four months back, at least four pilots from the Myanmar air force (Tamdaw Lay) were trained at the naval aviation facility at INS Garuda in Kochi, sources said.