Could Myanmar join India?

[Tokora]

If we assume that India manages to fix its internal struggles and Myanmar returns to a democratic government, how possible would it be for them to become a single state? Obviously they were chained together against their will under the Raj but is there any willingness for the two countries to rejoin? Would the Burmese be able to fit in with India's already diverse population or are they just too different from the cultures that exist in India? And if they did unite in a fairly optimistic future how would the union affect further politics in South Asia going forward?

[Suriyanakhon]

The idea is ludicrous because there's no way that Myanmar, a fully fledged nation with its own history would agree to be merged into a country that it has a contentious relationship with (to put it mildly) and is religious and culturally very different from it.

[Heloin]

Why?

[Antipatros]

That would make for some pretty ugly border gore.

[Adamede]

I don't see why they would.

[Kot Unduk]

Just no.

[The Phoenician Republic]

Well, India should rule all of the subcontinent for sure. Under proper Hindutva guidance, of course.

[Alberta-America]

Why would they merge in the first place?

[The Phoenician Republic]

Why would they merge in the first place?

The gift of Hindu civilization?

[Infected Mushroom]

Better to join the People’s Republic of China.

[Heloin]

Better to join the People’s Republic of China.

Well if we're entering going full throttle into the land of dumb suggestions then Burma should unite with Laos and Cambodia.

[Thermodolia]

Better to join the People’s Republic of China.

Well if we're entering going full throttle into the land of dumb suggestions then Burma should unite with Laos and Cambodia.

Let’s throw Thailand and Vietnam in to for good measure

[Lemsrow]

You know what? Let's throw Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan into the mix to make the Indian Raj,

but seriously. No. Native history is not the same as colonial history.

[Arpasia]

No, I don't think that's even remotely possible. For one, both India and Myanmar have different cultures, religions, traditions, customs and whatnot, and seeing that the two countries have numerous minority ethnic groups, I can see that this hypothetical nation will have a hard time keeping itself together amidst all of the ethnic and ideological animosity.

[Heloin]

Well if we're entering going full throttle into the land of dumb suggestions then Burma should unite with Laos and Cambodia.

Let’s throw Thailand and Vietnam in to for good measure

That's a unficiation of Indochina, you can almost make a reasonable argument for unification there. The sneaking arms around Thailand by Myaladia (or Camlamar) is a much funnier idea personally.

[Meadowfields]

This is just like saying "Could Finland join Russia?" No, they have completely different languages, cultures, and foreign relations.

[Kamisato Ayaka Nation]

As a Karen (Burmese minority) person I don't think this will happen anytime soon lmao.

Myanmar returns to a democratic government

Doubt that'd happen in the foreseeable future.

how possible would it be for them to become a single state?

Not at all.

Obviously they were chained together against their will under the Raj but is there any willingness for the two countries to rejoin?

There's no way the Bamars, the ethnic majority, would accept being under the jurisdiction of a country with almost no cultural ties to them. Also no Burmese, ever, has ever thought of unification with India. Trust me.

Would the Burmese be able to fit in with India's already diverse population or are they just too different from the cultures that exist in India?

Both countries are already diverse on their own and I doubt there'd be many overlaps between their cultures.

To put it simply, merger with India will not magically solve most of the problems Myanmar is facing (ethnic cleansing, the military coup, poverty and under-development to list a few). The basis that Myanmar was part of the British Raj shouldn't have even been considered in the first place; Myanmar has its own cultures and history distinct from India and it would be a disservice to merge for the sake of merging.

Better to join the People’s Republic of China.

Well if we're entering going full throttle into the land of dumb suggestions then Burma should unite with Laos and Cambodia.

Why not unite the whole of Southeast Asia? ASEAN ftw

[Space Squid]

Well if we're entering going full throttle into the land of dumb suggestions then Burma should unite with Laos and Cambodia.

Let’s throw Thailand and Vietnam in to for good measure

Greater Southeast Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere?

[Arpasia]

Let’s throw Thailand and Vietnam in to for good measure

Greater Southeast Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere?

Pretty much so.

[Valentine Z]

We had a coup and admittedly a fair share of internal problems, but this idea is as ludicrous as a giraffe going up a water slide.

No offense to my Indian friends, of course. We love you guys, but we have never considered an unification with anyone else in the world so far. Goodness knows we need to deal with our own people and, you know, unite.

[New Northwesteros]

You were so preoccupied with whether they could, you didn't stop to think if they should.

[Osagh]

I don't think the majority of the citizens of Myanmar would approve of it. Besides, Myanmar is and historically was independent of India politically and culturally.

[Free Algerstonia]

india should join myanmar

[New Northwesteros]

india should join myanmar

Based

[The free romanians]

It is possible but improbable
Burma has a different history and culture from that of india