India’s Act East Policy and Mizoram: Linking Borders through the Bairabi-Sairang Railway Line

Author(s): Dr. Biswajit Choudhury, Dr. Navaneeta Deori and Mayur Krishna Saikia

Abstract:

The completion of the Bairabi-Sairang railway line marks a historic milestone in Mizoram’s connectivity with the rest of India. As a landlocked and hilly state sharing 510 km of border with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh, Mizoram has long faced geographical isolation and dependence on road and air transport. The new 51 kilometre broad-gauge line directly connects Aizawl, the state capital, to the national railway grid for the first time, enhancing both domestic integration and regional accessibility. Beyond its developmental significance, the project aligns with the strategic vision of India’s AEP, which positions North-East India as a gateway to Southeast Asia. The railway strengthens links to Assam while also creating the potential to integrate with key cross-border initiatives such as the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway. It will lower transport costs, stimulate trade in agricultural and forest products, expand opportunities in tourism and handicrafts, and generate employment in logistics and border trade. The project enhances India’s presence in a sensitive frontier state and supports its efforts to counterbalance China’s influence through the Belt and Road Initiative in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.

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