Myanmar assures India of completing stalled connectivity projects soon

Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing assured PM Narendra Modi that his country would do 'everything' to complete two key connectivity projects, the Kaladan Multi-Modal and the Trilateral Highway, stalled due to security challenges in Myanmar.

Myanmar on Monday assured India it will do "everything" to push two key connectivity projects, stalled due to active hostilities in the Southeast Asian nation, to completion during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing as part of the latter's four-day visit to the country.

Security Challenges Stall Progress

Speaking at a special briefing on the visit of Myanmar's President, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway have faced delays due to security challenges, noting that both projects remain a "major priority" despite delays.

"This is something that remains a major priority. It was raised by the Prime Minister today with the President, and the President once again gave his assurance that Myanmar would do everything to ensure that these projects moved forward towards completion," Misri said.

The Foreign Secretary explained that the Kaladan project runs through Rakhine state, where "active hostilities" are ongoing between the Myanmar army and ethnic armed groups, while the Trilateral Highway segment under construction is also in a zone where "ethnic armed groups and the PDFs are quite active and engaging in hostilities with the Myanmar army".

"These projects have been underway for several years, and they have been delayed in most cases, and certainly right now the obstacle that faces both of these projects is the security situation in Myanmar," he said.

"The Kaladan highway is in an area where there are active hostilities going on right now between the Myanmar army and the ethnic armies in Rakhine state, whereas the section of the trilateral highway where work was underway and has gone on in fits and starts in recent years as well is again in an area where ethnic armed groups and the PDFs are quite active and engaging in hostilities with the Myanmar army," Misri added.

He added that work continues during "lulls in fighting" when worker safety can be ensured. "In these circumstances, it's a little difficult to meet preset targets and dates. Nevertheless, we have continued to engage with the Myanmar authorities, and wherever there has been a possibility to take forward the work by utilising either lulls in fighting or making sure that the security of the workers, of the teams of workers, is not going to be impacted, we have been able to move forward," the Foreign Secretary added.

On deadlines for the projects, Misri said, "Deadlines have been set in the project execution, but as far as war and civil conflict are concerned, one cannot plan for those things. So because of that, the deadlines have to be adjusted."

Bilateral Talks and Future Cooperation

Misri noted that during PM Modi's meeting with the Myanmar president, both sides underlined the importance of connectivity for people-to-people contacts and agreed to work "as quickly as possible" towards completing the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the Trilateral Highway.

He stated that during the morning's "detailed talks", PM Modi and the Myanmar President reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral issues, including trade and economic ties, defence and security, border management, development assistance, cultural exchanges, and the regional situation.

"Both sides underlined the importance of connectivity for people-to-people contacts and agreed to work as quickly as possible towards the completion of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, as well as the Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway," Misri said.

"This morning, the Prime Minister and the President of Myanmar held detailed talks on the entire gamut of bilateral issues, which covered our trade and economic ties, our defence and security-related issues, border management, development assistance, and cultural exchanges, as well as the regional situation. And both sides expressed an interest in forging closer cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, in development cooperation, in health, in education, in energy, and in some areas related to advanced technology, for instance, artificial intelligence and the space sector," he added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing as part of his four-day visit to India from May 30 to June 2 at the invitation of PM Modi.

About the Connectivity Projects

The 1360-km-long India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway connects Moreh in Manipur, India, to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar. India is undertaking two sections in Myanmar: the Kalewa-Yagyi road section, which began in May 2018, and the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa section, including 69 bridges, started in November 2017. Both projects are being executed on an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) basis.

Under the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, the road section from Zorinpui in India to Paletwa in Myanmar, awarded in May 2017, has progressed slowly due to security concerns and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the waterways component, including the port at Sittwe and Inland Water Transport terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa, has been completed, and efforts are ongoing to expedite the remaining road construction. (ANI)

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