NEW DELHI: Amid the deteriorating security situation in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it has told all the Indians to evacuate and move away from there.
"We had issued an advisory for the Rakhine State, where the situation there is very delicate, the security situation has deteriorated. We told all Indian nationals to evacuate themselves and move away from there and we also told our nationals who are there or otherwise from anywhere else not to travel to that part," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing on Friday.
"The situation in Myanmar remains a cause of concern because of the deterioration in the security situation," he said. The MEA spokesperson said that there is a lot of fighting happening there, underscoring that the security situation is not conducive at all in Rakhine State. Asserting that India wants peace and stability in Myanmar, Jaiswal asserted by saying, "There is a lot of fighting happening there, and the security situation is not conducive, but we call upon all sides."
"We want peace and stability in the country, we want constructive dialogue in the country, and we want inclusive federal democracy to be established through dialogue and through constructive engagement..." he went on to say. In February, India issued an advisory for Indian citizens, advising them not to travel to the Rakhine state of Myanmar amid a deteriorating security situation. The Ministry of External Affairs cited the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities in Rakhine State.
"In view of the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities, all Indian citizens are advised not to travel to the Rakhine State of Myanmar," the MEA advisory had stated. It also advised the Indian citizens who are in Rakhine State to leave the state immediately. Notably, a fresh uptick was noticed in incidents of violence in Myanmar recently. This came after three ethnic minority forces launched a coordinated offensive last October, capturing some towns and military posts.
The experts called it the 'biggest test' for junta since taking power in 2021. This also led to a huge influx of people from Myanmar into the state of Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border after the Myanmar army launched airstrikes in the bordering areas. Myanmar marked the third anniversary of the military coup on February 1, where the military seized power in a coup three years ago.