Mizo National Front Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Weeks after an important township of Myanmar near the Indian border was captured by the rebel Arakan Army, an Indian delegation led by Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena this week met with the Arakan Army and held talks about the road network that is vital for a flagship Indian project aimed at firming up overland and water connectivity with Southeast Asia.
The discussion between the Indian delegation led by the Rajya Sabha member from the Mizo National Front took place when he visited the Mizoram-Myanmar border area to inspect the construction of a strategically important road and other facilities. The Arakan Army provided security to the Indian delegation during this visit, said The Lairam Time, a local media outlet of Lai Autonomous District Council, one of the autonomous district councils of Mizoram.
The contact between the Indian side and the armed rebel group operating inside Myanmar is important as it indicates that the Burmese military forces that have faced significant reverses in the recent past, have been dislodged from the area near the Indian border with Myanmar, especially in the Mizoram sector. Arakan Army originated in Rakhine or Arakan but by capturing the Paletwa township on the Kaladan river in January they have indicated growing military muscles as Paletwa belongs to the Chin region which is dominated by the Chin National Front.
The fall of Paletwa to the Arakan Army gave rise to the impression that the military junta in Naypyidaw had lost control over the nearly $ 484 million Kaladan Multi Million Transit Transport Project. The township was captured by the Arakan Army, a largely Buddhist composed militant movement that is fighting a nationalist battle to ensure autonomy or independence of the strategically important Rakhine province that borders both India and Bangladesh. Rakhine is also the home of the Rohingya population, bulk of whom were driven into Bangladesh by the junta’s forces in 2017.
The under construction road that Mr. Vanlalvena inspected is aimed at connecting the township of Paletwa, and the port of Sittwe with Mizoram. Once ready, the road can connect Kolkata as well as the market of neighbouring Bangladesh with Mizoram through Sittwe port and enhance the commercial prospects of the northeastern region. The rapid rise of Arakan Army in Rakhine has intrigued the community of strategic commentators because of the manner in which it has delivered military setback to the junta of Myanmar which has been ruling the country with an iron fist since the coup in February 2021. It also gives rise to the legal status of the Kaladan project as Arakan Army remains a non-state actor.
