DIBRUGARH: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal will be receiving the first Indian cargo ship at Sittwe Port in Myanmar on May 9, 2023.
The ceremony is likely to inaugurate regular transit of cargo ships between Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, India to Sittwe Port in Rakhine state of Myanmar, heralding a new age of transportation between the two countries.
The route is likely to unlock tremendous economic potential for the entire Bay of Bengal peninsula, allowing a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia regions, informed Sonowal, while addressing media persons.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Northeast India remains at the forefront of India’s developmental agenda.
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“As we stand on this historic threshold, when the landlocked Northeast India will finally have a much shorter access to the International Sea Route, it would not have been possible without the visionary proposition of ‘Act East’ by Narendra Modi.
“Due to Modi’s commitment to the progress and prosperity of the Northeast region, we have been able to spearhead with speedy execution of the Sittwe port in Myanmar, with an aim to boosting the trade prospect of Northeast India in the ensuing years.
“Apart from the Northeast India, this port will also unlock huge commercial potential for Bangladesh, Bhutan and even Nepal – apart from India and Myanmar – by acting as a bridge with the South East Asia.
“This is the true reflection of implementation of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ philosophy of Modi,” Sonowal said.
Sittwe port development is part of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP).
Once operationalized, the Sittwe port will enable multi modal transit connectivity with the South East Asia.
Sittwe Port has been developed under a framework agreement between India and Myanmar for the construction and operation of a Multimodal Transit Transport Facility on Kaladan river connecting the Sittwe port in Myanmar with the state of Mizoram in India.