Narinjara News, July 9, 2025

Indian Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated on July 7 that the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project in Arakan (Rakhine) State would be fully operational by 2027.

He made no reference to the status of the Kaladan River or the security of trade routes, both of which are now under the control of the Arakan Army, which has captured the majority of the state of Rakhine.

Although the AA now has the majority of the Kaladan Multimodal Project under its control, with the exception of one port in Sittwe, he claimed that the joint initiative between India and Myanmar would create new trade prospects for the neighboring nations.

"This project is a strategic initiative to improve connectivity between India's northeast and Myanmar," said Sarbananda Sonowal. "We aim to have it fully operational by 2027."

The goal of the INR 5,000 crore ($582.5 million) Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project (KMTTP) is to link Kolkata to Mizoram state in northeastern India through Sittwe port in Myanmar by integrating sea, river, and road connections.

According to him, the initiative would connect Northeast India with its neighbors and create new opportunities for regional commerce.

By connecting Northeast India with Southeast Asia, the area will open up new trading opportunities not only for Northeast India but also for Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar when it is fully operational," he stated, revealing the investment pathway that links Northeast Asia with several investment industries.

By using a combination of sea, river, and land routes through Myanmar's Sittwe port, the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project intends to link Kolkata with Mizoram in India's northeast.

As a crucial component of India's "Look East Policy" to improve commerce and connection with Southeast Asia, the project will offer an alternate route for commodities to travel to the northeast, bypassing the Siliguri corridor, which primarily connects India with northern Bangladesh.

By connecting Zorinpur in Mizoram state to Sittwe port in Myanmar via Paletwa, the project will enable the northeastern part of India to utilize a variety of ports.

According to Sonowal, Kolkata products may be sent to Sittwe and also exported to Bangladesh's Teknaf port, which is only 60 nautical miles away from Sittwe.

From Teknaf, commodities may be moved by road to Sabroom, a border town in the state of Tripura, where there is an integrated customs border between Bangladesh and Tripura.

According to Sonowal, the initiative will result in a large reduction in logistical and time expenses. The current Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR), which circumvents the Siliguri Corridor and establishes new trade routes to improve regional connection, is another benefit, he continued.

It is also unknown whether India and the AA have come to an agreement on the opening of the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project (KMTTP) by 2027, although there are speculations to that effect.  Photo - IAS Gyan