22-07-2025
Bridging Borders: Tripura's strategic rise in Indo-Bangla trade corridor
Rusan Reang Agartala: Despite the recent efforts of Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, particularly his 'Mango Diplomacy' aimed at fostering cordial relations with India, a pressing question remains: Is Tripura ready to become the Northeast Gateway for Bangladesh's trade corridor under India's Look East Policy?
For decades, Tripura, like many other Northeastern states in India, has been landlocked, with the narrow Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the 'Chicken's Neck,' serving as its only connection to the rest of the country. This geographic isolation has hindered the region's access to mainstream economic development. However, Tripura is now emerging as a strategic link between India's Northeast and Bangladesh, playing a crucial role in the country's 'Act East Policy,' which aims to enhance economic cooperation and strategic partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region.
Landmark infrastructure projects, such as the Maitri Setu Bridge in Sabroom and the Agartala–Akhaura Rail Link, inaugurated in 2021 and 2023, respectively, position Tripura as a vital India-Bangladesh trade corridor, connecting the landlocked Northeast to international markets. However, Tripura's potential as the 'Northeast Gateway' is not solely reliant on its geographic location; it also depends heavily on political will, cross-border diplomacy, and effective implementation.
The Agartala–Akhaura rail link, which spans 12.24 km, connects Tripura to key industrial hubs in Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet, making Agartala the first state capital in India directly linked by rail to Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the Maitri Setu Bridge, which crosses the Feni River in South Tripura, stretches 1.5 km and links Sabroom to Ramgarh in Bangladesh, providing direct access to the Chittagong Port. This route significantly reduces logistics costs from Agartala to Kolkata Port by up to 80% compared to traditional routes through the Siliguri Corridor.
However, these projects are not yet fully operational and remain subject to diplomatic negotiations, technical readiness, and policy alignment between the two nations.
If the India-Bangladesh trade corridor becomes fully operational, it will significantly boost the region's growth, enhance logistics, create jobs, and position Tripura as a vital trade centre for the entire Northeast.
