Sittway, Rakhine State, is set to establish direct trade relations with Kolkata, India, through the deployment of a cargo ship, according to U Aung Aung, General Secretary of the Rakhine State Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
A recent development permits cargo vessels traversing local coastlines to dock at the Sittway Jetty, a significant component of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project located in Sittway Township.
U Aung Aung elaborated on the current trading scenario in Rakhine State, highlighting that products from various regions within Myanmar are presently exported to Bangladesh via the Maungdaw Kanyinchaung zone and Sittway Shwemingan Port. However, there has been no avenue for exports from Rakhine State to India until now. Consequently, efforts are underway to facilitate the transportation of goods from Sittway to Paletwa via maritime routes as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. Subsequently, goods will be transported from Paletwa to Mizoram, situated on the Myanmar-India border, via land routes.
In order to streamline trade between Rakhine State and Mizoram State, dedicated jetties have been constructed in both Sittway and Paletwa for maritime transport. Furthermore, reports indicate that the construction of the road connecting Mizoram to Chin State has been successfully completed.
The inauguration of the Sittway Jetty within the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project took place on 9 May 2023, with the presence of officials from both India and Myanmar. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, initiated in 2018 as part of the India-Myanmar Friendship Programme, entails an investment of US$484 million by India. — ASH/MKKS
