CNI News

5 September 2025

The meeting between Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely included matters beyond rare earth minerals, Myanmar political analyst Dr. Aung Myo told CNI News.

He said that if China is important to Myanmar, India is equally important, as India shares a long border stretching from Kachin State to Chin State, making it strategically significant.

“India is already a major industrial nation. Another point is that, historically, India has supported Myanmar without causing harm, always offering assistance. So beyond rare earths, there could be many other issues discussed. For Myanmar, just as it maintains good relations with China, it cannot ignore India. That’s why Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets not only Chinese President Xi Jinping, but also the Indian Prime Minister—to show that strong ties are being maintained. So I think the discussions went far beyond rare earths.”, said Dr. Aung Myo.

KIA leaders

During his China trip, which began on August 30, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met with Indian Prime Minister Modi and reached agreements on cooperation in rare earth mining and security matters between the two countries.

Currently, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) controls the rare earth mining areas in Kachin State near the Indian border, and collects taxes and revenues from mining and exports, according to military and political analysts.

Rare earths from Myanmar are mined by Chinese companies and exported to China, where India then re-imports them through Chinese suppliers. Analysts say that direct government-to-government cooperation between India and Myanmar could produce positive outcomes.

Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA)

“There are many places in Myanmar where rare earths are found. But most mining operations now are happening near the China border. India currently buys most of its supply from China. If India could buy directly from Myanmar, that would be good for us. Why? Because India would avoid buying through China, and Myanmar could earn significant tax revenues and state income through government-to-government sales. That’s what we hope for.”, Sai Htay Aung, Chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP), told CNI News.

Since rare earth mines in Kachin are already dominated by Chinese operators, analysts point out that if India were to engage in government-to-government mining cooperation, operations could be carried out instead in Sagaing Region.

They also noted that if India were to operate rare earth mines in Sagaing, it would need to negotiate with the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA).

Currently, nearly 300 rare earth mining sites, including those in the Panwar area, are under KIA control inside Kachin State.