The February 2021 military takeover in Myanmar has had adverse impact on the country`s political, economic and social landscape, which was undergoing a democratic transition. It was a step back in the democratic journey the country had embarked upon since adopting the 2008 military-drafted Constitution. The military extended the emergency rule on 01 February 2023, and the elections to be conducted per the 2008 Constitution mandate were further deferred. Unlike the earlier two military coups, the opposition forces (National Unity Government, People`s Defence Forces and Ethnic Armed Organisations) reacted sharply to the military takeover. To understand the military takeover in Myanmar, it is important to revisit the country`s political, economic and socio-cultural realities. And this volume attempts to delve into the history behind the rise of the military, the opposition forces, the EAOs and the economic, social and political conditions of the country. Finally, Myanmar`s relations with the major international players, China, Russia, India, Japan and ASEAN, are also explored. 

Brig Vinod Anand has served in the army for over 36 years, a significant part of which he has spent in North East India. He has authored a number of papers on issues relating to Myanmar military and bilateral relations. He has also written papers on defence cooperation with the ASEAN countries and geopolitical developments in South China Sea. He has been earlier a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis in New Delhi and later at the United Services Institution in New Delhi. Presently, he is a Senior Fellow with Vivekananda International Foundation.

Cchavi Vasisht is a Research Associate at Vivekananda International Foundation. She has submitted her PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University in the Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies. She has been awarded the UGC NET Senior Research Fellowship to pursue her research work. She completed Masters of Philosophy from the Centre for South Asian Studies. She completed her Master of Arts in Sociology from the same university. At VIF, she has been a keen observer of developments in Myanmar and other South Asian countries.