IMT Trilateral Highway linking India's Northeast delayed until 2027
The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway is a massive 1,360km road project linking India's Northeast to Thailand via Myanmar.
Conceived back in 2002 as part of India's push to connect more closely with Southeast Asia, the highway was meant to be done by 2015, but political turmoil and conflict in Myanmar have pushed the finish line to 2027.
IMT highway 70% built, benefits expected
About 70% of the highway is built, but tough stretches remain.
Once complete, it'll make travel and trade between India and Southeast Asia way easier, especially for people in the landlocked Northeast.
It promises faster routes to ASEAN markets, lower transport costs, and a boost for local economies.
IMT highway security and engineering problems
India already trades heavily with ASEAN ($44 billion in exports in 2022-23), and this highway could ramp things up even more.
Still, there are big challenges: security risks, tricky engineering problems, and delays in cross-border agreements keep slowing progress, a reminder that building international roads isn't as simple as laying down asphalt.