The general was visiting New Delhi, which rolled out the red carpet for the strongman on the first visit by a head of the pariah state in nearly a quarter-century.

Than Shwe told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that a national consultation process was under way to prepare a new constitution, which is supposed to return the former Burma to civilian rule after 40 years of repressive army diktat.

"The Senior General conveyed the sincere commitment of the current government to bring about democracy because they genuinely believed that only democracy can bring peace and prosperity," foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

His comments came days after the junta sacked Prime Minister Khin Nyunt, architect of Myanmar's "roadmap to democracy", over corruption allegations.

Analysts said the prime minister was toppled in a power struggle and the purge cast doubt on whether the secretive junta would pursue a democratic process that has barely begun or release democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.