Senior Indian security officials met with representatives of the Arakan Army earlier this month in Bangkok.
The meeting was aimed at rebuilding ties with the insurgent group in order to secure Indian interests in Myanmar, particularly the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP), a crucial infrastructure initiative connecting India and Myanmar.
The meeting took place just weeks after Indian Ministry of External Affairs officials engaged with representatives from several countries, including Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, to assess the security situation in Rakhine State.
This was in response to the Arakan Army’s capture of Maungdaw on December 19, 2024, and its growing influence in the region.
The outreach to the Arakan Army reflects India’s ongoing efforts to ensure the success of the Kaladan project, which includes a 158 km waterway from Sittwe to Paletwa and a 109 km road from Paletwa to Zorinpui in India’s Mizoram state.
The project is designed to enhance connectivity between India and Myanmar, facilitating trade and regional cooperation.
However, its progress has been hampered due to the escalating security situation in Rakhine State, particularly after the Arakan Army intensified its operations against Myanmar’s military junta in mid-2023.
Since the Arakan Army captured several key townships, including Maungdaw, the construction of the road component of the Kaladan project has stalled, posing a significant challenge to India’s strategic goals in the region.
While the group has captured 14 townships, including Maungdaw, it has not yet gained full control of three other major areas—Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung.
The Indian security establishment has worked on a slow but steady rapprochement with the Arakan Army, particularly in the face of the group’s growing territorial control over key ports and river towns.
This effort gained momentum after political upheaval in Bangladesh, including the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August 2025.
Meanwhile, the situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border has deteriorated, with reports indicating that the Arakan Army has laid landmines in areas it controls, such as Maungdaw, as a defensive measure against armed Rohingya groups.
The Rohingya, some of whom have received weapons training using arms left behind by retreating Myanmar junta forces, have been increasing their militant activities in the region.
Multiple groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), have formed alliances centered in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
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These developments have raised concerns about future security challenges for both Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Bangladeshi political analyst Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah noted that the reports of landmines being deployed by the Arakan Army are credible and could present significant challenges for the Bangladesh Army, especially if Rohingya militants attempt to infiltrate Rakhine State.
As the security situation continues to evolve, India’s strategic engagement with the Arakan Army highlights the importance of stabilising the region to ensure the successful completion of the Kaladan project and secure long-term connectivity between India and Myanmar.
