Indian Union Minister for Port, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, said that India remains committed to maintaining and enhancing trade and connectivity with both Myanmar and Bangladesh and in Myanmar, India is working closely with the authorities to ensure continued operation of the Sittwe port.
“The situation in our neighbourhood, particularly in Myanmar and Bangladesh, do present challenges. But India remains committed to maintaining and enhancing trade and connectivity with both countries,” he said.
In Myanmar, we are working closely with the authorities to ensure continued operation of the Sittwe port. The port is vital for our access to the northeastern states. Planned facilities to be constructed at Sittwe will meet the goal of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, (KMTTP), the minister added.
He expects the Sittwe port will be an alternative inland waterway for the landlocked northeast states of India.
The minister opines that, the Kaladan River is where the inland water transit (IWT) can be integrated with shipping to form a transport link. Using this transport link, cargo can be moved from Kolkata Port (India) or other ports of our country to Sittwe Port (Myanmar) by sea, and from Sittwe port to Mizoram (in northeast India) either through the inland water transit or via highways, and vice-versa.
The India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) will be responsible for operating the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project as well as the operations and maintenance of Sittwe port and the IWT port of Paletwa in Myanmar.
The Sittwe port opening ceremony was attended by the Myanmar junta minister Gen. Tin Aung San in May 2023. At this ceremony, he and Indian MoPSW received the first container ship from Kolkata at the port.
The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project Jetty is currently being used as a temporary domestic jetty with both coastal ships and river boats are docking at this port.
As for Bangladesh, the Chittagong Port remains a crucial link in the regional trade network. Efforts are ongoing to extend the India Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route from Kolkata to Varanasi through inclusion of Sahibganj and Varanasi as new ports of call.
