After Chabahar,India all set to take over ops in Myanmar's Sittwe Port

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

India after Chabahar Port in Iran is all set to take over operations of Myanmar's Sittwe Port that will enable to counter-balance China's BRI in the Indo-Pacific region.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of state for Shipping, Road transport and chemical & fertilizer Mansukh L Mandaviya informed that the "infrastructure at Sittwe Port in Myanmar, constructed with India’s assistance, is ready for operation."

The construction of Sittwe Port is part of the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project and its objective is to create a multi-modal sea, river and road transport corridor for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar through Sittwe port as well as to north-eastern part of India via Myanmar.

The approved construction cost of Sittwe Port and Inland Water Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa is Rs. 517.29 crore.

India and Myanmar signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 22nd October, 2018 for operationalisation of the port at Sittwe and Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa. Once fully operational, the project would encourage investment and trade and also open up alternate routes for connectivity to India’s north-east region.

The development comes even as India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting that was held on December 24th, 2018.

The heads of Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegation jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV - India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at Chabahar. The physical take-over of the terminal area, cargo handling equipment and Office building was completed by December, 29th last year.

Commercial operations began at IPGCFZ with the arrival of a vessel. A Cyprus registered bulk carrier had arrived at Chabahar with 72458 MT of corn cargo. The vessel MV MACHERAS berthed at the terminal a few days back on December 30th.

According to the ministry of shipping, "this step marks the beginning of a long journey. India has written history with its engagement in Chabahar and is now leading the regional cooperation and joint efforts to support landlocked Afghanistan."

Interestingly, this is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015.

This MOU translated into a formal 10-year contract for equipping and operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on May 23rd, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran.

The US has already provided a wavier to India on the port as well as the railway line from the port to Afghan, after Delhi stood firm on its engagement with Tehran


https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...-port-after-chabahar/articleshow/67437859.cms

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

On one side, the western border of Pakistan and now the eastern border of Bangladesh.

What is India planning?

 

[Skull and Bones]

What is India planning?

Trade and business. At the end of the day, we are baniyas.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

Trade and business. At the end of the day, we are baniyas.

What is that?

 

[Skull and Bones]

What is that?

Businessman, Trader, etc.

Sittwe port enforces our trading route with South East Asia, where we are building Roadway and railway connectivity to Thailand, which will be extended up to Vietnam and Malaysia in very near future.

 

[third eye]

The travel distance from Aizwal to Sittwe is about 1200 km ( 30- 35 Hrs). Once operational this could be reduced maybe by connecting Siaha to Sittwe.

The options this throws up for the NE states is enormous

 

[Tshering22]

The travel distance from Aizwal to Sittwe is about 1200 km ( 30- 35 Hrs). Once operational this could be reduced maybe by connecting Siaha to Sittwe.

The options this throws up for the NE states is enormous

Agreed.

There is already a highway from Moreh to Mae Sot in Thailand.

Sittwe just makes our position stronger.

We should also ask Myanmar to set up more gas pipelines into the northeastern states.

Every time there is a stupid bandh due to some politician, the gas prices become impossible to manage.

 

[third eye]

Agreed.

There is already a highway from Moreh to Mae Sot in Thailand.

Sittwe just makes our position stronger.

We should also ask Myanmar to set up more gas pipelines into the northeastern states.

Every time there is a stupid bandh due to some politician, the gas prices become impossible to manage.

+ it throws up options /alternatives to the Chittagong port

 

[Yankee-stani]

On one side, the western border of Pakistan and now the eastern border of Bangladesh.

What is India planning?

North South Transport Corridor, The Indian answer to China's BRI project

 

[HariSinghNalwa]

Sittwe Port provides flexibility to myanmar in regional policy as well as development opportunities for rakhine state ,Having India in Good books of Myanmar gives us access by land to thailand and Viet Nam without choke point of mallacca straits through India myanmar thailand tri lateral highway ,it is billed to completed by 2020 ,hope it is done by next year ,If North East realizes its true potential then India could become a $5 trillion economy till 2025

india myanmar integrated border check post inauguarated in moreh this week by narendra modi will streamline border trade

 

[Turingsage]

On one side, the western border of Pakistan and now the eastern border of Bangladesh.

What is India planning?

Trade

 

[HariSinghNalwa]

 

[GumNaam]

North South Transport Corridor, The Indian answer to China's BRI project

very unfeasible. iran has many arab enemies around it and the route has to base right under Pakistan's watchful eye which can cut the line at will. It will almost always be at the mercy of regional politics while OBOR bybasses india altogether, CPEC bypasses SCS and india completely and thus, is not at the mercy of anyone or anything.

 

[ranadd]

very unfeasible. iran has many arab enemies around it and the route has to base right under Pakistan's watchful eye which can cut the line at will. It will almost always be at the mercy of regional politics while OBOR bybasses india altogether, CPEC bypasses SCS and india completely and thus, is not at the mercy of anyone or anything.

Other arabian sea EEZs belongs to UAE and Afghanistan as well. They have much better diplomatic relationship with India. Which is the only factor to be concerned.

This is the same consideration of CPEC as well. Arabian sea powers have good relationship with China.

 

[GumNaam]

Other arabian sea EEZs belongs to UAE and Afghanistan as well. They have much better diplomatic relationship with India. Which is the only factor to be concerned.

This is the same consideration of CPEC as well. Arabian sea powers have good relationship with China.

Pakistan has very deep strategic relations with the middle eastern oil countries like KSA and UAE. In many ways, their existence depends on it and thus, overshadows and dwarfs any kind of a relation they have with india. as for afghanistan, its a short hop and a skip away from being in full taliban control so the indians shouldn't be holding their breath on that.