India-Myanmar Strengthen Economic Ties With Inauguration Of Sittwe Port And Welcoming First Cargo Ship

Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and AYUSH and Admiral Tin Aung San, Myanmar Deputy PM and Minister for Transport and Communications, inaugurated the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State, Myanmar, jointly on Tuesday.

During this event, they received the first-ever Indian cargo vessel flagged off from the Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata.

The operationalization of the Sittwe Port would enhance bilateral and regional trade. It will also contribute to the local economy of the Rakhine State of Myanmar. The greater connectivity the Port provides will lead to more employment opportunities and improved regional growth prospects.

In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sonowal highlighted the close cultural, historical, and economic ties between Myanmar and India, especially Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

He re-emphasized India’s longstanding commitment toward the prosperity and development of Myanmar’s people via developmental initiatives like the Sittwe Port.

This assignment was conceptualized to offer alternative connectivity of Mizoram with Kolkata/Haldia/ any Indian ports via the Kaladan River, Myanmar. It envisages road/highway transport to Paletwa (Myanmar) from Mizoram, after that to Sittwe (Myanmar) from Paletwa by Inland Water Transport (better known as IWT), and from Sittwe to any port in India via maritime shipping.

The Sittwe Port has been built as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (better known as KMTTP) and funded through grant-in-aid assistance from the country’s government. Once completely operationalized, the road and waterway components of the KMTTP will be linking India’s East coast to the Northeastern states via the Sittwe port.

References: Pratidin Time