The first official visit of Myanmar’s President U Min Aung Hlaing, to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revived fresh hopes for expediting two strategic transborder projects pushed by India — the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project and the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project. Expeditious commissioning of the projects is critical to anchoring India’s north-eastern region more firmly in the Act East and Neighbourhood First policy framework. While the trilateral highway project is crucial for unlocking India’s northeastern region and connecting the region’s landlocked economy to a vibrant ASEAN economy, the Kaladan project aims to provide an alternative route to the narrow and strategic Siliguri Corridor for seamless supplies from the rest of India through the sea and the Kaladan River in Myanmar. Myanmar’s volatile security situation due to violent clashes between the Myanmar Army and ethnic armies has led to both the projects missing several deadlines. Nevertheless, the India-Myanmar joint statement, issued during Myanmar’s president’s visit, highlighting both sides sharing the importance of working closely towards the completion of two projects, reinforces hope for forward movement. The Ministry of External Affairs’ special official briefing on President Hlaing’s visit revealed the complexities surrounding the two projects and reinforced the urgency for timely action to remove the remaining hurdles for their expeditious implementation. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri explained that the Kaladan Highway is in an area where there are active hostilities going on right now between the Myanmar army and the ethnic armies in Rakhine State. The Kalewa-Yagyi segment of the trilateral highway, where work was underway and has gone on in fits and starts in recent years, is again in an area where ethnic armed groups and the PDFs (the People’s Democratic Force – the armed wing of the National Unity Government – the parallel government in Myanmar) are quite active and are engaging in hostilities with the Myanmar army, he adds. India, Myanmar and Thailand agreed to initiate the trilateral highway project at a meeting of foreign ministers of the three countries in April 2002. The three countries agreed that the proposed highway would connect the border town Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand via Bagan in Myanmar and will be approximately 1360 km long, which fired the dream, for people in the northeast region, of an end to the landlocked situation and travelling directly to Thailand by road. The inauguration of the Sittwe port in Myanmar in 2023 brightened hopes for reducing the cost and transportation time for goods between Kolkata and Aizawl, Agartala, by 50%, which was dimmed by intensified clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, which gained control over the Rakhine State through which the Kaladan project passes. The joint statement emphasised that Myanmar lies at the confluence of India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) policies. This underscores the centrality of Myanmar in ending the geographic isolation of the northeast region, which hinges on the restoration of peace and stability in the neighbouring country. Both sides agreeing to facilitate and enhance bilateral trade, including through the Rupee-Kyat settlement mechanism, and expressing support for closer trade and investment cooperation in the areas of mutual interest, such as agro-processing, petroleum, energy, and mining sectors, in accordance with their respective national laws and regulations, signalled further deepening of the bilateral relations and mutual trade and commerce. Prime Minister Modi conveying to President Hlaing about India increasing Mekong Ganga ICCR scholarships for Myanmar students from 36 to 100 from this year sends out a clear message of India seeking to strengthen the bilateral engagement beyond routine diplomatic exchanges. President Hlaing reiterating Myanmar’s assurance that its territory would not be permitted to be used against India’s security interests and Prime Minister Modi reaffirming that India, as a steadfast and trusted partner of Myanmar, remained committed to deepening security cooperation between the two countries is expected to strengthen the mutual trust and confidence. The positive developments surrounding the two strategic transborder connectivity projects call for the governments in the region to remain ready with required legislative reforms, logistical support, infrastructure creation and identification of commodities and services which it can offer once the two projects are commissioned. The Northeastern States showcasing the entire region as a single integrated economic zone can play a crucial role in attracting global investors to leverage the two projects and channel investments to the region to tap the larger market in South and Southeast Asia. A large business delegation accompanying the Myanmar president as members of the Myanmar-India Friendship Association has reinforced the impression of Myanmar seeking to deepen trade and commerce with India. The Northeast remaining ready with its own economic blueprint is essential to ensure it is not reduced to a mere transit route between India and Myanmar.