1,400 Kilometer Highway to Link India, Myanmar, and Thailand
23 May 2016
A 1,400 kilometer highway will soon connect South and Southeast Asia by linking India with Myanmar and Thailand, starting from India's Moreh City and stretching to Myanmar's Tamu City. The groundbreaking India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Motor Vehicle Agreement is currently being negotiated by the three countries.
According to Mr. Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi, Indian Ambassador to Thailand, the Government of India is funding renovation of 73 bridges in Myanmar—built more than 70 years ago—to allow vehicles to ply the highway safely. Repair work is scheduled for completion in 18 months.
Mr. Bishnoi noted that the tri-nation highway exemplifies India's "Act East" policy, and will facilitate transit of goods and further development of SMEs in north India. He also emphasized that India and Thailand have always had a meeting of minds; the road will add physical connectivity.
The IMT Motor Vehicle Agreement, coordinated by the Asian Development Bank, is a landmark agreement that will allow passenger, personal and cargo vehicles to cross international borders and travel along designated key trade routes in the IMT region. This will make cross-border trade more efficient by reducing costly and time-consuming transshipment of people, vehicles and goods at border crossings. It will be the first-ever cross-border transport facilitation agreement between the countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia.
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