The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway: A Road to Trade in Culture and Religion?

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, connectivity projects have emerged as key instruments of diplomacy and regional integration. The India–Myanmar–Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway, a flagship initiative under India’s “Act East” policy, is envisioned as a transformative corridor that will link Moreh in Manipur, India, to Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar. This paper examines both the strategic-economic significance and the socio-cultural implications of the project. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative and analytical approach, relying on secondary sources such as government documents, think-tank reports, and scholarly commentaries. The findings show that while the highway promises to enhance trade, commerce, and political cooperation between India and ASEAN, its completion has been hindered by political instability in Myanmar and project delays, with a revised operational deadline of 2027. More importantly, the highway may facilitate cultural exchanges, Buddhist pilgrimages, and tourism, but it also risks commodifying indigenous traditions, unsettling religious balances, and altering the cultural fabric of sensitive borderland communities. By situating the project within broader debates on connectivity and cultural transformation, this paper highlights the double-edged nature of such infrastructure: a catalyst for integration and prosperity, yet a potential disruptor of established socio-cultural orders.