Construction of the India-Thailand highway, a massive project designed to boost trade and tourism, has come to a halt. And it's all because of the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
The ambitious 1,400-kilometer highway was supposed to be completed by 2019, but it's now stuck due to the severe political unrest in Myanmar, which has been raging since 2021. The country’s military coup led to a brutal armed conflict between insurgent groups and the military, making construction near impossible. The crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives, and millions of people have been forced to flee their homes.
While about 70% of the highway’s construction has been completed, the final stretch remains up in the air, with no clear timeline for when it might be finished. The highway would connect Moreh in India’s Manipur state to Mae Sot in Thailand, passing through Myanmar. It promises to transform trade and tourism, not just between India and Thailand but across Southeast Asia.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke about the delay, explaining that the political turmoil in Myanmar has put a big pause on the project. He said, "We cannot let this crisis block such a significant project. Practical solutions will have to be found to ensure this project moves forward."
Although there’s no immediate fix to the crisis, there’s still some good news. Several sections of the highway in India’s northeast and Thailand have already been completed and inaugurated. The remaining work, however, is stuck due to the unrest in Myanmar.
Until the road is fully operational, India and Thailand will continue relying on traditional trade methods like shipping, which can take longer and is less efficient. Even though the highway is a game changer for India’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the dream of a smooth land connection between India and Southeast Asia will have to wait.
With no end to Myanmar’s crisis in sight, the completion timeline of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMTT) Highway remains uncertain.
