ISAS South Asia Scan

India has increasingly focused on boosting connectivity between South and Southeast Asia through its Northeast Region, with railway development as a key part of its ‘Act East’ policy. While cross-border rail links have been discussed since the 1970s, tangible progress only picked up in the 2000s, with recent efforts reviving old lines with Bangladesh, initiating links with Nepal and Bhutan and planning connections to Myanmar.

This South Asia Scan analyses railway connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region, highlighting policy and operational barriers such as political instability, weak institutional capacity and poor infrastructure. It proposes solutions, including a regional rail corridor, inter-modal transport and investment in trade facilitation to help build a seamless, efficient railway network across South and Southeast Asia.