Khaing Lu Hla (Roma Mray) — Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur visited Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine (Arakan) State, on June 18, according to an Indian Embassy announcement released on June 19.
The visit took place just two weeks after Myanmar coup president Min Aung Hlaing concluded an official trip to India.
Min Aung Hlaing visited India from May 30 to June 3, marking his first foreign trip since assuming the presidency. During that visit, he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.
Following up on those bilateral talks, Ambassador Thakur traveled to Sittwe to inspect the Kaladan project's primary infrastructure. During his trip, the ambassador met with Rakhine State Prime Minister U Naing Oo, visited the Sittwe Port, and toured the Indian Consulate General.
Additionally, Ambassador Thakur participated in a collective yoga demonstration to commemorate International Yoga Day 2026 and held meetings with representatives of Sittwe-based international organizations.
While New Delhi aims to have the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project fully operational by 2027, implementation faces ongoing delays.
During a meeting in New Delhi on June 1, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Myanmar's military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to expedite the completion of the delayed Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.
Min Aung Hlaing reiterated his commitment to implementing these strategic projects. However, political analysts note that the future of both initiatives heavily depends on coordination with local forces on the ground.
The Arakan Army (AA) currently controls most territories in Rakhine State and Chin State's Paletwa township, through which the project routes pass.
The Indian government reportedly informed the military regime that it aims to have the connectivity network fully operational by 2027. This network is designed to link India's landlocked northeastern states to Kolkata and global trade routes.
Originally signed in 2008 with a budget of $500 million, the Kaladan project connects Mizoram in northeast India to the deep-water Sittwe Port in Rakhine State via a multimodal route running along the Kaladan River through Paletwa.
Photo: Embassy of India, Yangon
