Can the Kaladan Project Connecting the Myanmar Port Be Commissioned Soon?

By Nava Thakuria, New Age Islam 10 Feb 20205 Amid ongoing turmoil and instability in Myanmar (also known as Burma and Brahmadesh), India is working towards commissioning the ambitious riverine Kaladan project, which connects a port in Rakhine (Arakan) State with the landlocked north-eastern states for regular trade. Officially agreed upon between New Delhi and Naypyidaw (formerly Rangoon) in 2008, the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Corridor project was initiated under India’s then Look East Policy and later revamped as the Act East Policy. The Sittwe port in the Bay of Bengal is expected to receive shipments from Kolkata, Chennai, and other international ports, after which goods will be transported via the Kaladan River to Paletwa in Myanmar’s Chin State. From there, they will be shifted to land routes and transported to Zorinpui on the Mizoram border, eventually connecting to other important locations in eastern India via National Highway 54. However, the project now faces hurdles due to security challenges arising from Myanmar’s shifting political landscape and, more recently, a civil war-like situation. Although the modernisation of the Sittwe port and Paletwa jetty has been completed, the Paletwa-Zorinpui highway remains under construction. Initially planned for launch by 2014, the project—originally budgeted at ₹536 crore in 2008 (with work beginning in 2010)—has now exceeded ₹3,200 crore due to perennial delays, missing yet another deadline in 2023. The recent capture of Paletwa by the powerful ethnic armed group Arakan Army, following its defeat of the ruling military junta, has further complicated the situation. Meanwhile, Sittwe remains under full control of Myanmar’s military regime, despite ongoing offensives by anti-junta armed forces. Not only Rakhine and Chin States but the entire country is experiencing chaos, with the military junta losing territory in recent months to resistance forces supported by many ordinary Burmese citizens. Currently, Min Aung Hlaing’s junta controls only about 30% of Myanmar’s townships, while 25% have become full conflict zones. The Buddhist-majority nation has witnessed the killing of over 6,000 civilians—mostly at the hands of junta soldiers—while 3.3 million people, including women, children, and the elderly, have been displaced. These displaced individuals face acute shortages of food, medicine, and logistical support. Essential commodities have been either blocked or restricted by the junta, leading to a humanitarian crisis where 19 million people—nearly one-third of Myanmar’s population—now require urgent international assistance. Notably, the revolutionary forces under the Three Brotherhood Alliance, comprising the Arakan Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), launched a massive offensive known as Operation 1027 in late 2023. Since then, ethnic groups and resistance forces—including the Kachin Independence Army, the Karen National Union, the Chin National Front, the People’s Defence Forces, and the National Unity Government—have gained full control over 144 townships. The junta now controls only 107 townships, while 79 remain active battlegrounds. So far, the junta has lost 173 military battalion headquarters, including two regional military commands, six command headquarters, six strategic military bases, and 742 frontline outposts. Moreover, armed militias have seized key routes connecting Myanmar’s border towns with Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and China. Recently, a forum of lawmakers from Southeast Asian nations strongly opposed the junta’s repressive cybersecurity laws, warning that they pose a serious threat to fundamental human rights. The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) stated that these laws contradict Myanmar’s own constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and privacy. The forum further asserted that the draconian legislation is a calculated attempt by the junta to suppress dissent, silence free expression, and violate the privacy of Burmese citizens. The APHR called on the international community to take immediate action by denouncing the oppressive laws and applying diplomatic pressure to force the junta to abandon its authoritarian measures. India’s north-eastern states of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1,643-kilometre international border with Myanmar. In many areas, the border remains porous, with the consent of local populations who frequently travel between the two countries. However, when the Indian government recently initiated fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, several organisations in Mizoram protested, arguing that the Chin people of Myanmar are their ethnic brethren, sharing a common history and cultural heritage. Despite this, the porous border has long been exploited by insurgents and smugglers, periodically destabilising the region. Given this complex situation, New Delhi must engage with both the junta and rebel groups to counter Chinese influence in Myanmar while advancing India-backed initiatives, including the Kaladan project. Recently, India invited representatives from Burmese ethnic groups for preliminary discussions aimed at fostering better relations. A reported meeting with Arakan Army representatives was described as productive, while additional talks, led by Indian foreign ministry officials, were held in Bangkok. Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur, along with other senior officials, visited Sittwe on 16–17 January to review ongoing port operations. According to Myanmar’s state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, since its inauguration on 4 May 2023, Sittwe port has handled over 150 cargo vessels carrying food, agricultural commodities, medicines, machinery, construction materials, and fuel. During his visit, Ambassador Thakur also met with Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htein Lin to discuss bilateral development cooperation, capacity-building efforts, and humanitarian assistance. Thakur emphasised the need for a swift return to peace and stability, highlighting that such conditions are essential for realising the full potential of the Kaladan project. ---- Nava Thakuria is an official representative of PEC in South & Southeast Asia URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/kaladan-project-myanmar-connecting-commissioned/d/134573 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism