Naypyidaw, July 31: In a significant step towards enhancing regional connectivity, India’s Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur, along with the officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), visited Kalemyo region in the Southeast Asian nation to assess the Kalewa-Yagyi road project, a part of the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway.
“Nudging forward the Kalewa-Yagyi road project, part of India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway. Ambassador Abhay Thakur, accompanied by NHAI representatives, visited Kalemyo yesterday to interact with project construction teams and also met the local community at adjoining IMT segment,” the Embassy of India in Myanmar posted on X on Thursday.
“In addition to the local community, the Ambassador also met the diaspora at the Kalemyo Durga Mandir,” the post added. The 1360 km long India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an initiative pertaining to India, Myanmar and Thailand. India is undertaking construction of two sections of the Trilateral Highway in Myanmar, including construction of 120.74 km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and construction of 69 bridges along with the approach road on the 149.70 km Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section.
In May, while inaugurating the Rising North East Investors Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, which will provide direct access from Myanmar to Thailand, strengthening India’s connectivity with Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. PM Modi mentioned that India’ trade with ASEAN countries, which currently stands at approximately $125 billion, is expected to exceed $200 billion in the coming years with the northeast states playing a key role as a strategic trade bridge and gateway to the southeast Asian markets.
He underscored the government’s efforts to expedite the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project, which will link the Kolkata Port to Myanmar’s Sittwe Port, providing a crucial trade route through Mizoram.
The Prime Minister stated that this project will significantly reduce the travel distance between West Bengal and Mizoram, enhancing trade and industrial growth. Earlier in April, during his visit to Thailand, both PM Modi and Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra agreed to work on enhancing all modes of connectivity such as physical, digital and financial between India and Thailand and strengthen regional linkages, including through expediting the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and its eastward extension, as well as the India, Myanmar and Thailand Motor Vehicles Agreement, strengthening regional maritime connectivity through coastal shipping and enhancing port-to-port connections and to encourage the civil aviation authorities of the two countries to continue engaging in discussions for enhancing air connectivity between both countries.
IANS
