Fri Jul 25 06:37:08 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article, rewritten from the provided text, suitable for a publication like “The Hindu,” focusing on the Indian perspective:

**U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Myanmar Military Allies Amid Junta’s Overture to Trump**

**WASHINGTON, July 25, 2025 (The Hindu) –** In a move that has sparked international concern, the United States has removed sanctions designations on several individuals and companies linked to Myanmar’s ruling military junta. The decision, announced Thursday, comes just weeks after the head of the junta, Min Aung Hlaing, praised U.S. President Donald Trump and appealed for sanctions relief in a letter.

The U.S. Treasury Department confirmed the removal of KT Services & Logistics and its founder Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung, the MCM Group and its owner Aung Hlaing Oo, Suntac Technologies and its owner Sit Taing Aung, and Tin Latt Min, from the sanctions list. These entities and individuals were previously sanctioned for their ties to the Myanmar military and their involvement in the country’s defense sector after the 2021 coup.

The timing and reasoning behind the U.S. action are raising eyebrows, particularly given Min Aung Hlaing’s direct appeal to President Trump. The general’s letter reportedly requested a reduction in U.S. tariffs on Myanmar exports and suggested a willingness to negotiate. Critically, he also called for the easing of broader economic sanctions, citing the potential for mutual economic benefit.

This development is especially relevant to India, given its own strategic interests in Myanmar. Myanmar is a key neighbor, sharing a long land border, and is vital for India’s connectivity projects in the region, including the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Furthermore, Myanmar is also a crucial part of the geopolitical equation concerning China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Human Rights Watch has condemned the U.S. decision, calling it a “major shift” in policy that could undermine efforts to hold the Myanmar military accountable for its human rights abuses, including crimes against humanity and genocide. The decision also raises questions about the U.S.’s commitment to democracy in Myanmar.

The U.S. has not officially commented on the rationale behind lifting the sanctions.

The situation is further complicated by the strategic importance of Myanmar’s rare earth mineral resources. The U.S. is actively seeking to diversify its supply of these minerals, vital for high-tech and defense industries, and Myanmar holds significant deposits. While most rare earth mines are in KIA-controlled areas, China processes majority of Myanmar’s rare earth minerals.

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