The ban on transporting fuel from India's Mizoram State to Arakan (Rakhine) State has caused economic losses for Arakan traders in Mizoram.
Starting March 20, authorities across Mizoram districts have officially banned fuel exports to neighboring countries.
Arakan traders who bought fuel before the ban have faced interceptions and confiscations at Indian border checkpoints, while those barred from transporting fuel under the ban cannot reclaim their deposits.
“Fuel from Mizoram isn’t allowed into Arakan State anymore. The Assam Rifles, an Indian border guard unit, has been intercepting and confiscating any fuel shipments they find. Before, we could still manage to transport some fuel by negotiating with the authorities, but now that’s no longer possible,” an Arakan trader currently in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai Town said.
Since 2023, the junta has enforced strict blockades on goods entering Arakan State, making the Mizoram trade route the main source for essential supplies and fuel.
As the war involving the United State, Israel and Iran has erupted in the Middle East and triggered a major global energy crisis, the governments of India and Mizoram have tightened measures to prevent domestic fuel shortages, including banning fuel exports to neighboring countries.
Indian authorities have warned that anyone violating the fuel export ban, effective from March 20, will face prosecution under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Act, 2023. Another Arakan trader told DMG that the Assam Rifles is currently responsible for enforcing the ban.
“The seizures are being carried out directly by the Indian central government, not the Mizoram government. The confiscated fuel is a total loss—there’s no way to get it back, no excuses. Many fuel trucks have been seized in Lawngtlai, so the losses for Arakan fuel traders are going to be massive,” he said.
Since March 20, the Indian blockade has sharply cut fuel supplies from Mizoram, sparking fears of possible fuel shortages in Arakan State.
Fuel is still available in Arakan State for now, but if the export ban persists, a severe shortage may occur, leading the Arakan Army (AA) to take steps to manage the crisis.
