India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

Tags: International News

The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway is a regional connectivity project covering approximately 1,360 km (845 mi) that aims to connect India, Myanmar and Thailand.

An Overview of the News

• The project was proposed by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and approved in 2002. Its construction began in 2012 and is being implemented in several phases.

• The Ministry of External Affairs in India, in collaboration with Myanmar and Thailand, is responsible for project implementation, with funds allocated from the Ministry of Finance.

• The highway starts from Moreh in Manipur, India, passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in Thailand. The India-Myanmar Friendship Road is the first section connecting Tamu/Moreh to Kalemyo and Kalewa.

• India's contribution to the project includes the construction of 69 bridges along with access roads on the 74-km Kalewa-Yagyi road section and the 70-km Tamu-Kyygon-Kalewa (TKK) road section in Myanmar.

About Thailand

• It is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam, located on the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia.

• It is bordered by Myanmar and Laos to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.

• On the western side, it is bordered by the Andaman Sea, and also has maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast and Indonesia and India to the southwest.

Capital- Bangkok

Official language - Thai

Emperor - Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)

Prime Minister - Prayut Chan-o-cha

About Myanmar

• Capital - Naypyidaw

• Official Language - Burmese

• President - Myint Swe (Acting)

• SAC President and Prime Minister - Min Aung Hlaing

• SAC Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister – Soe Win