From 'Warm' to 'Cold': Political Relations between India and Burma, 1948-1988

Abstract

India and Burma formally established diplomatic relations in 1948, a milestone
that opened a new chapter in the history of the two neighbouring states. Between
1948 and 1962, bilateral ties were generally characterised as 'warm': Jawaharlal
Nehru and U Nu, in particular, built a working partnership grounded in postcolonial solidarity, non-alignment, and a shared commitment to independent
national development. General Ne Win's military coup of 1962, however, proved
a decisive turning point, setting the relationship on a markedly different trajectory.
Over the next quarter-century, from 1962 to 1988, the earlier pattern of
engagement largely reversed. Burma's transition from civilian to military rule in
1962 inaugurated a long decline in relations with India, which grew progressively
cooler and more strained as the years passed. During this later period, bilateral
engagement was confined almost entirely to the political and diplomatic sphere,
with other dimensions of the relationship remaining marginal. This article traces
the fluctuating course of India–Burma political relations across the first four
decades of Burmese independence, examining the shift from warm friendship to a
colder, more distant footing.