India is planning a new multi-modal transport corridor connecting the North-East to Kolkata via Myanmar, bypassing Bangladesh, amid deteriorating India-Bangladesh ties and rising geopolitical concerns. A new Shillong–Silchar highway has been approved to connect with the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) through Mizoram.
Key Highlights
- New highway: 166.8 km four-lane highway from Shillong (Meghalaya) to Silchar (Assam) under NH-6.
- Highway will be extended to Zorinpui (Mizoram) to link with Kaladan Project, forming an alternate sea route to Kolkata.
- The project bypasses Bangladesh, offering direct maritime and road connectivity from North-East India via Myanmar.
- Prompted by Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who called North-East India “landlocked” and dependent on Dhaka for sea access.
Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP
Signed: 2008 between India and Myanmar
Purpose: Create a direct corridor from the Bay of Bengal (Sittwe Port, Myanmar) to North-East India via Mizoram
Components:
| Leg | Mode | Route | Distance |
| Sea Leg | Shipping | Kolkata (India) → Sittwe (Myanmar) | ~539 km |
| Inland Waterway | River (Kaladan) | Sittwe → Paletwa (Myanmar) | ~158 km |
| Road Leg (Myanmar) | Road | Paletwa → Zorinpui (India border) | ~110 km |
| Indian Extension | Road | Zorinpui → Lawngtlai → Aizawl | Planned |
Infrastructure Details: Shillong–Silchar Highway Project
- Length: 166.8 km four-lane high-speed highway from Mawlyngkhung (Shillong) to Panchgram (Silchar).
- Execution Agency: NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited) under MoRTH.
- Completion Target: By 2030.
- Cost: ₹22,864 crore.
- Financing Model: Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)– PPP mode.
- Sittwe Port (also known as the Akyab port) constructed by India under the Kaladan initiative. It is a deep-water port located in Rakhine State, on Kaladan River estuary
Key Features:
- 19 major bridges, 153 minor bridges, 326 culverts
- 22 underpasses, 26 overpasses, 8 subways, 34 viaducts
- First such high-speed corridor in a hilly terrain of North-East India
Strategic Importance
- Bypasses Bangladesh: Avoids dependence on Dhaka, addresses geopolitical concerns.
- Reduces distance by ~1000 km and saves 3–4 days in cargo movement.
- Alternative to Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck): Mitigates strategic vulnerability of the narrow strip connecting NE to mainland India. Reduces over-reliance on Siliguri Corridor.
- Offers India a fallback connectivity plan amid unpredictable Bangladesh ties and Myanmar’s unstable politics.
- Supports India’s Act East Policy: Boosts ties with ASEAN nations via enhanced connectivity.
- Enhances India’s influence in the Bay of Bengal and strengthens economic and strategic ties with Myanmar and Southeast Asia.
- Kaladan project is no longer just infrastructure- it is a geostrategic necessity.
India-Bangladesh Tensions
- Relations strained after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in 2024.
- Bangladesh’s interim leader made snide comments on India’s connectivity.
- India responds by recalibrating its strategic approach- moving toward Myanmar-centric routes.
- At BIMSTEC Summit, PM Modi cautioned Yunus against divisive rhetoric.
Challenges: Myanmar’s Political Instability
- Project delayed due to Myanmar’s internal conflict and 2021 military coup.
- Rakhine State, through which Kaladan passes, is controlled by the Arakan Army (designated terrorist group by the Myanmar junta).
- Arakan Army supports Kaladan project, but India’s direct engagement is diplomatically sensitive.
- Project faces security risks and requires coordination with Myanmar’s military government.