Junta chief scored maximum points by visiting India during a period of high-profile visits by world leaders
It was a shame that India, the world's largest democracy, this week welcomed one of the world's most notorious and ruthless leaders, General Than Shwe, the Burmese strongman, with full honours. India can give all the reasons it wants, but the fact is still a very simple one: A democracy with a long history of respect for human rights and fighting for justice must not appear to support such a regime. But India has chosen to do so out of so-called "national interest". If that narrowly defined term is the reason India used to host the Burmese regime, then it will not gain the country much respect.
Sooner or later, India will find out that its sincere endeavours not to upset the junta, because of China's overbearing presence in Burma, will all be in vain.
No matter how one looks at it, Than Shwe's trip to India was indeed well calculated to show the world that Burma's neighbour is open and naive enough to support his pariah country.
It was also rather disappointing to see the Burmese junta leader visit the country during a series of high-profile visits by world leaders. Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK is in India this week, at the same time as Than Shwe, and there are upcoming trips by delegations from the US, Russia and France.
It is as if India wants to please the junta to gain favours on a par with China. New Delhi, which is competing with China on the economic and diplomatic fronts, says that security on the Burmese-Indian border is one of its top national interests.
In the long run, India will have to pay a toll for unwittingly serving as an accomplice to the Burmese regime. Look at the US and Senator Jim Webb's initiatives as a case study. Earlier, Washington entertained high hopes that it could convince the junta to be more flexible and break the current political impasse, so that the US could have good reason to relax its sanctions placed on Burma since 2003. But after nearly 10 months of continuing effort and engagement, Washington has realised that it is a waste of time to deal with Burma. There is little hope that any change will be worth waiting for, for whatever reasons. Even China, which is considered an all-weather friend of the generals, has also reviewed its bilateral ties with Burma, due to tensions along the Burmese-Chinese border.
The junta is not doing anything to push forward democratic reforms, even under intense pressure from the international community. The generals know full well that international persistence will never prevail over their obstinacy. The international community is a paper tiger. It can do nothing to bring about change in Burma because of preoccupation with other serious international issues.
At this moment, Than Shwe cannot show any sign of weakness, let alone compromise with outsiders. He enjoys playing realpolitik with the Asian giants - India and China and the rest. So far, the regime has cleverly and cynically played off its two giant neighbours against each other, and they have no alternative but to play along, fearing their loss of influence in the overall scheme of things.
India has to look to the future as a pillar of Asian democracy. If New Delhi does not take this role seriously, it will be hard to find an alternative. But what is certain is this: The rise of India may be contaminated by such entertainment of the Burmese dictatorship.