Sai Ai Pao, chairman of the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), known as White Tiger party, speaks during an election campaign Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Yangon, Myanmar.
| Photo Credit: AP
“All political stakeholders should participate in the electoral exercise”
India on Monday (December 8, 2025) extended support to Myanmar’s upcoming election and said “all political stakeholders” should participate in the electoral exercise in the country that has been under the rule of the military junta since February 2021. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said the polls should be “free, fair and inclusive”.
“India supports Myanmar’s transition to democracy and is of the view that participation of all political stakeholders is important for the credibility and stability of the electoral exercise, which needs to be free, fair and inclusive. India will continue to support all efforts that advance peace, dialogue and a return to normalcy in Myanmar,” said official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Mr. Jaiswal further reiterated India’s developmental assistance to Myanmar as an ongoing project for which Myanmar receives an annual allocation from India. He also said that India has been reaching out to Myanmar whenever necessary, like in the aftermath of March 28, 2025 earthquake that seriously impacted conflict-torn Myanmar.
Mizzima, a news outlet run by exiled pro-democracy citizens of Myanmar, has called the upcoming election a “sham” as the military junta has been unable to establish security in the country where numerous Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) are clashing with the forces of the military junta.
“It violates domestic laws, including the 2008 Constitution. Therefore, it is purely a sham in terms of legitimacy and political significance. It is simply designed to reinforce the junta’s illegitimate hold on power. For these reasons, it is clear that the 2025 Election will not resolve Myanmar’s ongoing conflicts. Instead, it could further fuel the civil war that has persisted for decades,” a pre-election report by Mizzima has said, adding that a large number of political activists remain in prison as Myanmar is heading to election.
Published – December 08, 2025 11:06 pm IST
