Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his Myanmar trip on Thursday, visiting to the ‘mazar’ of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon pagoda and performing puja at the Kalibari Temple here. On the last day of his three-day visit to the Buddhist-majority country, Mr. Modi visited the pagoda, considered the pinnacle of Myanmar’s cultural heritage. He planted a Bodhi tree sapling in the complex. “Delighted to visit Myanmar’s cultural landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda,” Mr. Modi tweeted. The 2,500 year-old pagoda, located west of the Royal Lake, enshrines strands of Buddha’s hair and other holy relics. It is covered with hundreds of gold plates. The top of the stupa is encrusted with 4,531 diamonds, the largest of which is a 72-carat diamond. Mr. Modi also visited the Bogyoke Aung San Museum where he was accompanied by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. “I thank Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the special gesture of showing me around the Bogyoke Aung San Museum. Paid tributes to General Aung San,” Mr. Modi said. The Hindu, September 8, 2017.

Bangladesh, which has seen an influx of Rohingya refugees from the neighbouring Myanmar in recent days, is facing a policy predicament over how to deal with the crisis. About 2,70,000 Rohingya Muslims are estimated to have entered Bangladesh in recent weeks as Myanmar security troops carry out an “anti-insurgency” operation in the Rakhine State. Many more are waiting on the borders. Prior to this, some 5, 00,000 Rohingya people have already come to Bangladesh and settled in refugee camps. Bangladesh’s society appears to be sharply divided over the refugee crisis. Pro-Islamist groups argue that the Rohingya Muslims are facing ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. The Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its Islamist allies addressed a human chain in Dhaka on Friday against the persecution of Rohingya. The Hindu, September 9, 2017.

India agreed to enhance existing assistance to Afghan security forces, including in capacity building and training of Afghan soldiers in India, during a Partnership Council meeting on Monday, even as Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister suggested a larger role for India in regional diplomacy. “We are glad India will continue to support our security forces in terms of equipment and training Afghan cadets in India,” Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani told The Hindu in an exclusive interview. The Hindu, September 11, 2017

China has stepped up security on its borders with India, North Korea and Myanmar as the ruling Communist Party (CPC) gears up to hold a key national congress next month during which President Xi Jinping is expected to get an endorsement for a second five-year term. China’s border police forces under the People’s Armed Police became the latest government agency to make a show of support for President Xi, saying officers would focus on the frontiers to ensure stability for the five-yearly gathering, the South China Morning Post reported. They would also tighten monitoring of coastal areas and ramp up counterterrorism work, the police said in a statement. The congress, starting on October 18, is expected to see Xi named the party’s general secretary for a second term and a dozen officials named to key positions. Security personnel have been out in force across the country to make sure the highly-choreographed gathering is not disturbed by social unrest. But the build-up comes amid ethnic clashes in Myanmar and the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula. South Korea expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean communist party. The Indian Express, September 29, 2017.

An Oxford University college where Aung San Suu Kyi studied as an undergraduate has removed her portrait from its main entrance amid mounting criticism of the Myanmar leader over the plight of Rohingya Muslims. Suu Kyi had graduated from St Hugh’s College in 1967 and the portrait had hung prominently at the college entrance since 1999. It was painted by artist Chen Yanning in 1997 and belonged to Suu Kyi’s husband, Oxford professor Michael Aris, and was given to the college following his death. “The college received the gift of a new painting earlier this month which will be exhibited for a period. The painting of Aung San Suu Kyi has meanwhile been moved to storage,” the college said in a statement. While the exact reasons for the portrait’s removal, which comes just days before the start of the academic year and the arrival of new students, remain unclear, there is a general view that the allegations of ethnic cleansing as a result of Mynamar’s Rohingya Muslims fleeing their homes to Bangladesh is likely to be behind the move. Nearly 500,000 Rohingyas have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, causing a major humanitarian crisis. The Indian Express, September 30, 2017.