Institute for Social and Economic Change |
Working Paper: 346
Moreh-Namphalong Border Trade
Marchang Reimeingam
Abstract
Level of border trade (BT) taking place at Moreh-Namphalong markets along Indo-Myanmar border is low but significant. BT is immensely linked with the third economies like China which actually supply goods. Moreh BT accounts to two percent of the total India-Myanmar trade. It is affected by the bandh and strikes, insurgency, unstable currency exchange rate and smuggling that led to an economic lost for traders and economy at large. India experiences a negative BT balance as the potential export items are not produced in Moreh. Opening of BT at Moreh has benefited the local border people in terms of employment, infrastructural development and also improves trade and other relationship between India and Myanmar. Myanmar is critical for India not only for BT partner but also for India’s Look East Policy (LEP) for developing strategic and economic relations with East and South East Asian countries.