India, South East Asian nations improving connectivity: Nirmala Sitharaman

JAIPUR: India and the South East Asian nations, including Myanmar and Cambodia, are enhancing land and sea connectivity to boost trade and are working on various projects such as Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today.

She said huge potential exists in the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) nations for Indian manufacturers.

The Commerce and Industry Minister said India and CLMV countries are working on accelerating projects to improve port, road and air connectivity.

India and Myanmar are cooperating to connect the Bay of Bengal ports (Visakhapatnam-Krishnapatnam) and the Sittwe port (in Myanmar), Sitharaman told reporters here.

She was speaking here for the 4th India-CLMV Business Conclave, organised by industry body CII.

"Sittwe is a major port in Myamnmar. If Sittwe is connected with our Bay of Bengal ports, Visakhapatnam, Krishnapatnam and also south Chennai or even further up to Haldia, Paradaip or Dhamra, a lot of trade which goes from India to these SEA countries can go and land in Sittwe and from there go to Myanmar or CLMV countries," she said.

As regards the land connectivity, she informed that the work is being expedited for the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project (KMTTP).

It aims to improve connectivity between Indian ports on the eastern seaboard and Sittwe port in Myanmar.

The Myanmar government has stated that it will expedite the work from its side, she said, adding that the Indian side of the work is progressing.

This project, she said, would technically connect Kolkata through the north eastern states of India to the entire South East Asian nations.

On improving the air connectivity, she said that a lot is happening between SEA and India in this area and from Gaya airport, there is a need to give more connections.

"We want more aircraft to go from there. Also, from Assam and Guwahati airports as from other parts of India. We want to connect with the south east Asian countries...lot of discussions are going on. These are international negotiations, so they do take time," Sitharaman added.

On a project in Bangladesh, she said that through Petrapole, the under sea linkage for Internet facility "is something on which India and Bangladesh are working". It will improve the Internet connectivity of the north east states states.