India news: Myanmar president arrives in Delhi to boost ties

Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines that have India talking on Saturday, May 30:

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Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing begins India visit

Myanmar's junta chief-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, is on a five-day visit to India — his first overseas trip since he assumed a civilian role.

During his visit, the former general is going to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and focus on strengthening ties between the neighboring countries.

"President U Min Aung Hlaing will hold discussions with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 1 June 2026 on further strengthening the historical and civilisational ties between the two countries," India's External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said.

Min Aung Hlaing kicked off his trip to India by landing in the city of Gaya, in the eastern state of Bihar, to visit the Mahabodhi temple, a Buddhist pilgrimage site. He is expected to arrive in Delhi in the evening.

Human Rights Watch's Elaine Pearson on Myanmar election

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MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed Min Aung Hlaing in a post on X.

"A warm welcome to President U Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on his arrival in Bodh Gaya," Jaiswal said.

"The visit reflects the strong spiritual, historical and people-to-people ties that bind our two countries and the depth of our ongoing cooperation," he added.

India shares a 1,643-kilometer (1,020-mile) border with Myanmar and a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.

New Delhi has maintained ties with Myanmar’s military-backed administrations despite Western sanctions imposed after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. Myanmar has been mired in a nationwide armed conflict and humanitarian crisis since the coup.

The visit by Myanmar president marks an opportunity for India to weaken China's influence on the country and open access to its critical rare earths, and bolster security along the border, analysts told Reuters news agency.

Congress to hold party meet to decide on new Cabinet

After Siddaramaiah stepped down from the Karnataka chief minister post, the Congress Party is expected to meet Saturday to formally elect DK Shivakumar as the next chief minister.

Congress leader Priyank Kharge asserted Saturday that it depended on the party's central leadership in New Delhi to decide on the leaders who will form the next government in Karnataka, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The swearing-in of the new chief minister is likely to take place on Sunday or Monday, as reported by the Indian media.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka has alleged "backdoor politics" within the Congress Party to secure the post of deputy chief minister.

Good morning! This is Midhat from New Delhi, bringing you the latest from India today.

The Myanmar president is visiting India to ramp up efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.

The southern state of Karnataka is preparing for a government transition after senior Congress Party leader Siddaramaiah stepped down as chief minister.

Meanwhile, India's weather agency has issued alerts for Delhi as it forecast rain over the weekend.

Stay tuned with us as we bring you the latest developments from India.