Kaladan project to boost regional connectivity: India-Myanmar corridor to link Northeast with global sea routes by 2027

Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on July 7 announced that the ambitious Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), aimed at enhancing connectivity between India’s Northeast and the rest of the country through Myanmar, will be fully operational by 2027.

Speaking at a press conference, Sonowal said the completion of the project will significantly shorten the distance between Aizawl and Kolkata by 700 km. “The Sittwe port is ready. Now, work is ongoing to develop road connectivity from Myanmar to Aizawl. The entire Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project will be operational by 2027,” he said.

The Union Minister highlighted that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is investing Rs 1,000 crore in the development of the project’s waterway infrastructure, while other agencies are managing the remaining components. Emphasising the strategic significance of the project, Sonowal stated that the Northeastern region would play a pivotal role in restoring India’s economic vitality.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that transformation should happen through transportation. Following his vision, we aim to position the Northeast as South Asia’s business hub. Waterways will be a key element in achieving that goal,” he said.

The KMTTP was conceptualised as a joint initiative between India and Myanmar to establish a multimodal transport corridor enabling the shipment of cargo from India’s eastern ports to Myanmar and further to the Northeast region through Southeast Asia.

Sonowal informed that the Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal agency overseeing the KMTTP, which is being implemented as a symbol of friendship between the two nations. Recalling a recent milestone, he said, “The Sittwe port was inaugurated in 2023, and I received a 2,000 metric tonne cargo ship from Kolkata, marking the port’s full operational capability. Once the entire KMTTP is commissioned, the 1,800 km road distance between Aizawl and Kolkata will be reduced by 700 km.”

The Sittwe port in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has been developed under a bilateral framework agreement for constructing and operating a multimodal transit facility on the Kaladan river. The port links to Paletwa in Myanmar via inland waterways and further to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road network.

Additionally, cargo from Kolkata to Sittwe can be routed to Teknaf port in Bangladesh, which lies only 60 nautical miles away. From Teknaf, goods can be transported by road to Sabroom, around 300 km away. Sabroom, located in Tripura, hosts an integrated customs checkpoint at the India-Bangladesh border. The Kaladan project and Sittwe port are expected to significantly benefit Tripura by reducing transportation time and logistics expenses.

The development of the project has not been without challenges. Navigability in certain river stretches proved more complex than initially assessed during surveys. Moreover, law and order issues have posed difficulties in Myanmar’s border regions adjacent to Mizoram.

When queried about the progress of connectivity with Mongla and Chittagong ports in Bangladesh, Sonowal did not provide a specific response. He noted, “With the bilateral relations with our neighbouring nations, we continue to develop our waterways.”

Despite ongoing political instability, cargo movement through Bangladesh remains robust. “Our ships are operating through Bangladesh. We have bilateral agreements, and both sides respect that,” the minister said, adding that around 4 million metric tonnes of cargo are currently transported annually via Bangladeshi river routes.