Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates Sittwe Port in Myanmar

Tags: International Relations International News

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal and Deputy Prime Minister of Myanmar Admiral Tin Aung San jointly inaugurated Sittwe Port in Myanmar on 9 May.

An overview of the news

• Admiral Tin Aung San also received the first Indian cargo ship which was flagged off from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata.

• The development of Sittwe port will reduce the cost and time of movement of goods between Kolkata and Agartala and Aizawl by 50 per cent.

• It will promote trade links and people-to-people ties between India and Myanmar and the wider region and help boost the economic development of the northeastern states.

 About Sittwe port

• The project was envisaged to provide alternative connectivity of Mizoram with Haldia, Kolkata or any Indian port through Kaladan River in Myanmar.

• Sittwe Port has been developed as a part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) funded under grant-in-aid assistance from the Indian government.

• Once the waterway and road components of the KMTTP are fully operational, the east coast of India will be connected to the north-eastern states through the Sittwe port.

• The commissioning of Sittwe port will increase bilateral and regional trade as well as boost the local economy of Myanmar's Rakhine state.

• The greater connectivity provided by the Port will lead to employment opportunities and enhanced growth prospects in the region.

About Myanmar

• It is a country located in Southeast Asia and is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand.

• The capital city of Myanmar is Naypyidaw, which was officially designated as the capital in 2005.

• President - Myint Swe (Acting)

• Prime Minister - Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing

• Currency - Myanmar kyat