India-Arakan trade route suspended for three days after dispute in Mizoram

By Admin 15 Sep 2026

DMG Newsroom

15 September 2026, Kyauktaw

Cross-border trade between India and Arakan State along a key border corridor has been temporarily halted for three days following a verbal dispute between local Mizoram youths and Arakanese merchants.

The Arakan Army temporarily closed the Shinletwa-Khaikhy road section for three days starting September 14 after an argument erupted between members of the Mara Thyutlia Py (MTP-Khaikhy) youth organization and Arakanese cargo boat operators at Khaikhy village in Siaha District, Mizoram State, India.

“An argument broke out yesterday at Khaikhy village port between local youth association officials and Arakanese boat operators regarding departure schedules. The dispute started because local youth representatives prioritized departure clearances for Chin boat drivers over Arakanese boat drivers. Authorities from both sides are currently negotiating to resolve the issue, and the Arakan Army has temporarily blocked northbound travel along the route for three days,” a cross-border merchant reported.

The dispute at Khaikhy port involved officials from the Mara Thyutlia Py (MTP-Khaikhy) and several Arakanese boat captains over vessel departure turns.

Officials from the Mara Thyutlia Py (MTP) headquarters in Siaha announced plans to conduct an on-site inspection at the location of the dispute.

On September 14, the MTP issued a four-point statement instructing local residents not to harm Arakanese merchants traveling along the route, prohibiting village administrators and residents from giving media interviews without prior MTP authorization, and urging Arakanese traders to refrain from spreading misrepresentations.

Khaikhy village serves as a vital transit point along the India-Arakan trade corridor, where local youth association representatives from MTP-Khaikhy oversee and manage cargo boat departures bound for Arakan State.

Border merchants emphasized the need for a peaceful settlement between both sides to ensure the swift resumption of regular commercial transport.

“Arguments between local groups bring no benefit to anyone. We hope officials from both sides resolve this misunderstanding peacefully through dialogue. Uninterrupted trade flows serve the economic interests of communities on both sides of the border,” said a trader from Kyauktaw Township.

Traders confirmed that of the three active trade routes connecting India and Arakan State, only the Shinletwa-Khaikhy route has been temporarily suspended, while the remaining two routes continue to operate normally.

Since the outbreak of township-capturing battles across Arakan State in late 2023, the military junta has imposed strict blockades on overland goods transportation, forcing Arakan State to rely heavily on food, medicine, and fuel imports shipped through Mizoram State, India.