One of India’s most ambitious transnational highway projects, the India-Myanmar-Thailand transnational highway, has received a fresh boost in a bilateral meeting between the president of Myanmar and the prime minister of Thailand.
The highway is a 1,360-kilometre strategically important road project connecting Moreh (Manipur, India) to Mae Sot (Thailand) via Myanmar. First conceptualised in 2002, the highway project is rooted in India’s Act East policy to boost regional trade, tourism, and further economic activity through connectivity and integration with Asean.
The Act East Policy places the North Eastern Region at the centre of India’s engagement with Southeast Asia. A central focus of the Act East Policy is development of cross-border connectivity infrastructure. The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are flagship projects under this framework.
The joint statement by the Myanmar president and the Thailand prime minister during the official visit of the former to Thailand categorically reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the transport network through improved transport and infrastructure links.
“Areas for future discussion include the development of mutually beneficial maritime connectivity between Ranong Port and suitable ports in Myanmar, in accordance with the bilateral agreement of both countries, relevant feasibility studies, and relevant domestic laws and procedures, and the promotion of potential commercial coastal shipping services,” the joint statement between issued by the two leaders said.
“These include the development of the Phu Nam Rong-Htei-Tawei transport corridor, upgrading the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project, facilitating cross-border transport, and establishing appropriate special economic zones and logistics facilities along the border,” the statement added.
The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway has several parts. It includes road construction in Tamu-Kalewa Highway, which has been completed and handed over to Myanmar government in 2009. The construction of Kalewa-Yargi highway-section from 112 km to 60 km is also complete and has been handed over to Government of Myanmar in October 2025.
The two leaders also expressed the importance of establishing a “Myanmar-Thailand Transport Network Enhancement Joint Working Group” to coordinate the overall multi-modal connectivity plan, including road, sea, port and cross-border routes, and to harmonize relevant policies, procedures and regulations of the two countries, where appropriate, in accordance with the domestic laws of the two countries.
Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing, is on an official visit to Thailand from August 6-7 at the invitation of Thailand Prime Minister Anuthin Chawirakorn. During the visit, the leaders of the two countries held friendly bilateral meetings and discussions in which the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway also came up for discussion.
“These efforts are expected to enhance trade between the two countries and the wider region, facilitate logistics facilities, facilitate trade and investment, and strengthen connectivity. The two leaders also welcomed the support of Thailand’s Neighbouring Economic Development Assistance Agency for Myanmar’s infrastructure development,” the joint statement added.
Considered a game changer in India’s neighbourhood policy in engaging with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is very important but its progress has been challenged by the internal strife in Myanmar.
Speaking at the at a session on ‘Act East, Act Fast and Act First’ at the Advantage Assam Summit in Guwahati in February last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said, “The situation in Myanmar has paused the IMTT Highway project… We cannot allow this [Myanmar unrest] to block something so momentous. Practical solutions will have to be found to ensure the advancement of this initiative.”
In June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing held extensive bilateral talks in New Delhi. The prime minister underlined that enhanced connectivity would foster mutually beneficial economic linkages and shared prosperity in the region. In this regard, both sides shared the importance of working closely towards the completion of Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.
In a media briefing on the discussions between the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said: “Both sides also underlined the importance of connectivity for enhancing people-to-people contacts and agreed to work towards the early completion of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.”
Once completed, the highway will connect India’s northeastern states directly to Southeast Asian markets. Plans exist to extend the corridor further into Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
ALSO READ: Cabinet Approves Outlay Of Rs 8,970 Crore For Four-Lane Highway In Assam
Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
