Trilateral highway gets Modi push

Road to connect India, Myanmar, Thailand is a strategic project that PM Modi has taken up as priority.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 12th India-ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar on Wednesday. (Source: PTI)

For India, it could prove to be the reopening of the famed ‘Road to Mandalay’. The proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, part of which entails linking India to Myanmar and then further to Southeast Asia, is a strategic project that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken up as priority.

The progress on the proposed infra link came up for discussion at the PM’s meeting with his Thai counterpart Wednesday on the sidelines of the Asean summit meeting. “The PM is very keen that the infrastructure connection is completed soon,” MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said on Thursday evening.

A strong push for the completion of the 3,200-km trilateral highway, which could drastically enhance the connectivity between the Mekong sub-region and India and prove to be a game-changer for India’s northeast region, is an important component in the government’s plans to ramp up its “Look East” policy to the newly coined “Act East” policy. The link is expected to be ready by 2018, about two years behind schedule.

The highway project, which is to run from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand via Mandalay in Myanmar, will ensure that India’s eastern border is opened to a new bus route from Imphal to Mandalay, which would enable travellers to board a bus from Manipur’s capital to reach Mandalay in just over 14 hours. The trilateral highway project, along with the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport model, is one of the cornerstones of the new government’s “Act East” plan.

Kaladan transit

The Kaladan project, when implemented, will connect Kolkata to Sittwe port in Myanmar, and then further to Mizoram by river and road. India and Myanmar had signed a framework agreement in 2008 for its implementation. The construction of a critical section of a ‘port-cum-inland waterway’ Sittwe port with India is about three-quarters complete and is likely to be wrapped up by April. The project is of critical economic and strategic importance to India.

Anil Sasi

Anil Sasi is the National Business Editor at The Indian Express, where he steers the newspaper’s coverage of the Indian economy, corporate affairs, and financial policy. As a senior editor, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the narrative around India's business landscape. Professional Experience Sasi brings extensive experience from some of India’s most respected financial dailies. Prior to his leadership role at The Indian Express, he worked with: The Hindu Business Line Business Standard His career trajectory across these premier publications demonstrates a consistent track record of rigorous financial reporting and editorial oversight. Expertise & Focus With a deep understanding of market dynamics and policy interventions, Sasi writes authoritatively on: Macroeconomics: Analysis of fiscal policy, budgets, and economic trends. Corporate Affairs: In-depth coverage of India's major industries and corporate governance. Business Policy: The intersection of government regulation and private enterprise. Education Anil Sasi is an alumnus of the prestigious Delhi University, providing a strong academic foundation to his journalistic work. Find all stories by Anil Sasi here ... Read More

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