The civil war in Myanmar is threatening India’s bid to remove dependence on the strategically critical Siliguri corridor which connects the Northeast region to the rest of the country. The Arakan Army (AA) has recently captured the town of Buthidaung in the Rakhine state which borders Bangladesh. AA has also captured territories in the southern part of the Chin state which borders Mizoram. With most of Rakhine captured, only the regional capital Sittwe and the small port city of Maungdaw are still under the writ of the government.
Kaladan Project
Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, a project worth $484 million connects Mizoram’s capital Aizwal to the Sittwe port in Myanmar. As part of the project Aizwal is connected to Paletwa in Myanmar via a highway. From Paletwa goods are transported on the Kaladan River to Sittwe port developed by India, from there the cargo can be transported further to destinations beyond. The route will provide an alternative to the land route utilized by our northeastern states, that passes through the Siliguri corridor.
Civil War In Myanmar Picks Up
The recent major offensive called Operation 1027, launched by three anti-government Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) namely Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDA) and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) besides the Arakan Army, is making steady progress. The operation provides an impetus to the civil war which began in 2021 following a coup by Myanmar’s army – the Tatmadaw. The Rakhine offensive by the AA began a few weeks later on 13 November.
On 14 November the AA launched an attack on Paletwa, where the highway from India terminates and goods are shipped by river. Seizing the town on 15 January. A few days later on January 20, over 600 Myanmar soldiers entered India and sought refuge after which the Indian government decided to fence the entire border. The soldiers had allegedly been fighting Chin resistance fighters.
In February the AA claimed to have captured a border outpost in Maungdaw area on the Bangladesh border. Fighting is still on for the port town. On 17 March, AA is said to have captured the town of Rathdaung, cutting off Sittwe.
With the Arakan Army now near the terminus of the Kaladan project in Myanmar, regardless of who will come on top in this conflict, the Indian Act East policy is on a uphill climb.
Dhruv Yadav
