On Myanmar, India needs a rethink

Last week, Myanmar's army claimed success in retaking Myawaddy, a critical node in the bustling trade route with its eastern neighbour, Thailand. The anti-government coalition of the ethnic armed groups and the pro-democracy fighters had created a flutter in the region by entering Myawaddy in mid-April and ousting the troops from the army base there. The real winner in the see-saw battle now appears to be the notorious Border Guard Force (BGF) in the region, formally aligned with the military government in Yangon, but with great autonomy on the ground. The BGF is reportedly playing both sides in order to…