India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Stalled Amid Conflict in Myanmar

• 23 March 2025
• Construction Focus
• 1422 Views

The USD 114 billion India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, a crucial 1,360-kilometre infrastructure project designed to enhance ASEAN economic integration and strengthen India’s trade presence in Southeast Asia, faces major setbacks due to ongoing instability in Myanmar. Designed as a four-lane highway, the Trilateral Highway is part of India’s broader infrastructure vision, which aims to extend road connectivity into Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, covering a total of 3,200 km, according to Nationthailand on 23 February 2025.

The highway, which originates in Moreh, India, and passes through Mandalay, Myanmar, before reaching Mae Sot, Thailand, is a key land connectivity initiative. Despite being 70% complete through joint efforts by Indian and Thai authorities, the project’s critical Myanmar segment has been halted indefinitely due to security concerns stemming from the military coup of February 2021. The project, originally set for completion in 2015 and later pushed to 2027, remains in limbo as conflicts continue to disrupt progress.

The majority of its route runs through Myanmar, making it particularly vulnerable to political and security instability. Experts suggest that alternative strategies may be required to salvage the project. “A flexible strategy is needed, including alternative routes, multimodal connectivity, and diplomatic outreach with all stakeholders. Ensuring security is a must, and if there are no other choices left, then exploring bypass options may help keep the project on track,” said Tunchinmang Langel, Research Fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs.

Once operational, it is expected to revolutionise trade and transport in the region, offering enhanced access to Southeast Asian markets and India’s resource-rich north-eastern states—Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim, and Tripura—often referred to as the “Seven Sisters.” The highway is expected to slash cargo transportation costs, bolster trade, and attract investment into underdeveloped areas.

The economic potential of this corridor is immense, considering ASEAN’s stability and investor-friendly environment, with a combined population of 670 million and India’s fast-growing USD 3.41 trillion economy. India-ASEAN bilateral trade was valued at USD 101.9 billion in 2023, making Southeast Asia India’s fourth-largest trading partner.

While the future of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway remains uncertain, its completion could redefine trade and transportation dynamics across South and Southeast Asia, opening up unparalleled economic opportunities.

• Road and Infrastructure