The Times of India reported on June 13 that India has repeatedly missed deadlines for infrastructure construction in Myanmar, and as China picks up pace in this area, India is striving to accelerate its infrastructure commitments to Myanmar. The report also expressed concern that delays and sluggishness have damaged India's reputation in Myanmar.
Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Vikram Misri said in a recent interview with Myanmar media that India has completed the construction of the Sittwe power station and the Paletwa inland waterway jetty. A contract has also been signed for a road project connecting Paletwa with a location on the India-Myanmar border, and construction has begun on the final phase of the road project.
In addition, India is also building the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, which was originally scheduled for completion in 2014 but will now be postponed to 2020.
The report said that with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar traveling to Myanmar on May 27 for diplomatic consultations, relations between India and Myanmar have recently warmed. Nevertheless, India's attention to Myanmar, its eastern neighbor, still falls short of its attention to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. But Myanmar is a key node in India's "Act East" policy, especially as India is currently trying to counter China's massive presence in Myanmar.
The report said that driven by China's Belt and Road Initiative, about US$10 billion in investment has been put into Myanmar's Kyaukphyu jetty and an economic special zone, and these works can create tens of thousands of jobs.