Governmentto focus on economic ties with Myanmar

In what has given a new dimension to the policy of India for Southeast Asians countries, the central government has taken a conscious decision of laying more stress on improving economic activities instead of focusing more on security related issues.

Informing that central government has decided to invest nearly Rs 3000 crore on the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project, sources in the home ministry told this newspaper on Monday that the Kaladan project, which was initiated in 2008, is aimed at providing an alternative route for cargo to India’s north-eastern states through Myanmar. The project will link Kolkata Port to Myanmar’s Sittwe port and then provide a riverine route through the Kaladan river and by road to the Myanmar-India border adjoining Mizoram.

Asserting that government of India is of view that economic ties with Myanmar would take care of India’s security concern also, security sources said that India was also facilitating visit of corporate houses to Myanmar to encourage investment and economic activities. In what has transformed the Look East Policy into an Act East policy of PM Modi, the central government has also given commitment to improve road conditions in Myanmar and to open the trans-bord-er international highways.

Pointing out that Kaladan Project was left out after an allocation of Rs 300 crore by previous UPA regime, security sources said that alternative route to Northeast through sea and river is likely to be operationalised in 2016. Along with the highway link from More in Manipur and Mandalay in Myanmar, and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway project, India will get linked to the East West Economic Corridor, which goes up to Vietnam.

It is significant that current cargo transport route to the north-eastern states through the Siliguri corridor or Chicken’s Neck area is overstretched and is not suitable for the transport of heavy machinery. Asserting that UPA regime had frequent discussion on security related issues with Myanmar, security sources said that economic activities between the two countries had come to a standstill and was ignored.