Recently, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj re-emphasised the role of the regional connectivity as a facilitator for development, with a potential to advance the quality of the lives, people-to-people exchanges, and enhance trade and investment. This was mentioned against the backdrop of both India and ASEAN celebrating the 25th anniversary of their partnership this year. The regional and intra-regional connectivity is the core of India’s Act East Policy and it forms one of the crucial components of India’s rejuvenated thrust towards Asia-Pacific. This explains why an examination of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMT) Highway, which is one of the connectivity endeavours India took in the eastern neighbourhood in 2002, is important.
The 1,360 km IMT Highway starts from Moreh in Manipur and reaches Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar. Originally supposed to be finished by 2014, the project deadline is now extended to 2020, according to the Indian envoy to Myanmar Vikram Misri. The India-Myanmar Friendship Road — connecting Moreh in Manipur with Tamu, Kalemyo and Kalewa in Myanmar, constructed by the Border Roads Organisation in 2001 — forms the first segment of the IMT Highway. Right now, India is working to repair 69 bridges on Tamu-Kalay Road and the segment between Kaleya-Yargyi road (120 km). From Yargyi, the road goes to Monywa (65 km); from Monywa, it stretches towards Mandalay (136 km). This 136 km road is already available for public transport. From Mandalay, the Highway will pass through Meikhtila bypass, Nay Pyi Taw, Taungoo, Oktwin, Payagyi, Theinzayat, Thaton, Hpaan, Kawkareik, Myawaddy and Mae Sot. In Phase I of the Trilateral Highway, India is supposed to construct 78 km of new roads, upgrade 58 km of existing roads and re-build 132 km road further within Myanmar. Thailand’s role is to upgrade and repair a total of 292 km road in two phases. In May 2015, Indian Ambassador to Thailand Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi mentioned that once the repairing of the bridges is finished, the highway could be opened for transportation. In the mid-way, the Highway will also be connected with the economic zone in Sittwe, which is around 100 km away from the current route alignment of the IMT Highway. Given the potential of the project, there are a few aspects related to the IMT Highway which should be prioritised immediately.
First, once completed, the concerned authorities need to ensure seamless connectivity on the Highway in an order to encourage people to travel through it. At present, the Indian, Thai and Myanmar Governments are discussing the proposed Motor Vehicle Agreement, much in line with the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement. In November 2015, Vijay Chibbar, Union Road Transport and Highways Secretary, mentioned that elections in Myanmar in late 2015 caused a delay in signing of the Motor Vehicle Agreement. However, the formation of the new Government in Myanmar in early 2016 caused more tension in the signing of the agreement as they arguably came up with more negotiation points. Hence, signing of this agreement remains pending. Signing and implementation of the Motor Vehicle Agreement is essential for ensuring smooth and continuous transport of cargo, people and vehicles on the highway.
Second, even after many discussions, the accommodation of people’s interests, particularly those from North-East India, in the Highway remains negligible. This has happened even though the concept of the IMT Highway was visualised to provide a boost to the socio-economic profile of the North-East by making it a comprehensive partner in the connectivity projects between India and Southeast Asia. The idea was to make North-East India not just a connecting point, rather to develop it by making it India’s gateway to Southeast Asia. Proposals are already on the table to integrate North-East India with the IMT Highway, vis-à-vis other cross-border connectivity projects linking the region with India’s eastern neighbours. Unfortunately, after the trial of the bus service between Moreh and Mandalay in 2016, nothing has moved in that direction. Recently Manipur’s Chief Minister Biren Singh proposed that travel from Myanmar to Manipur should be hassle-free. This looks as an urgent requirement as Manipur receives many patients from Myanmar for better medical care. Apart from that, the border haats in Moreh and Tamu attract thousands of traders from both sides of the border. However, even after India’s concerted efforts, the Integrated Check Post in Moreh is still not operational, leading to undesirable hassles to the everyday border trade between the two countries. Therefore, the need is to realise the fact that without people’s involvement, it would be difficult to translate a developmental project into a successful endeavour.
Besides boosting the direct connectivity between India and Southeast Asia (initially till Thailand and later connecting the other countries), the IMT Highway, along with the other transport and connectivity projects, is expected to augment regional tourism and cross-border energy ties, among many other benefits. Thailand already receives approximately 11 million tourists from India every year. Direct road connectivity will add to this number, albeit on both sides. A hike in the number of international tourists in North-East India will eventually benefit the region’s economy. In the energy sector, facts about Indian investments in Myanmar are already in the public domain. Recently, Assam’s Numaligarh Refinery ltd, a division of Bharat Petroleum Corp, has expressed willingness to sell gas and oil to cater to the demands of the north-western Myanmar. These are a few instances of tangible benefits from India’s Act East Policy.
The IMT Highway will provide the much needed impetus to India’s border trade and its relations with the near-east countries. India must monitor and review seriously the progress of this project since this is one of the highlights of India’s current “Act East” policy. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India’s “Act East” Policy has been brought to regional limelight. The urgent need is to actualise the existing projects in the region and to review whether these have progressed well to intensify India’s engagement with the neighbourhood. Contemplation on the progress of IMT Highway should be a priority for New Delhi. A success of the IMT Highway will only accentuate India’s positioning in the neighbourhood, and that would undoubtedly proof India as a paragon example of a responsible actor in the region.
(The writer is a researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi.)