Indians started settling down in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) as early as
1852 and the present residents have been here for more than four generations
though between 200,000 and 400,000 PIOs are still stateless.
This is because they do not have the documents required by the Burmese
Citizenship Law of 1982 to prove their citizenship. During British rule, the Indian
community flourished in Myanmar, dominating the civil services, education and
trade. Indians came from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra,
either to trade or to work in the agricultural sector. However, when Myanmar
became independent in January 1948, prime minister U Nu's land reforms policy
took back land belonging to PIOs. The Indian exodus, started in the 50s, gained
momentum after the 1962 coup when the military took over under General Ne
Win. The migration of Indians to Myanmar during the colonial era and their role in
the commercial sphere contributed to commercial relations between the two
colonies. Up to the 1960s, India was a major trading partner of Myanmar.