China’s efforts aimed at global dominance are clearly being highlighted in its One Belt One Road initiative (OBOR). The impact of OBOR on the worldwide trade network can be huge. Keeping this question in mind, the 4th Annual Roads and Highways Meet is set to host a panel discussion on “OBOR and its Impact on Asia.”

The meet is scheduled to be held at the illustrious Grand Copthorne Hotel, Singapore, from 9th to 11th April 2018. The prestigious panel discussing China’s trade endeavours includes Mr Akhilesh Srivastava, CGM (IT & Operations), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The other representation in this panel comes from Mr Frederic Blanc-Brude, Member Advisory Council, World Bank Global Infrastructure Facility, Singapore, and Mr Sheharyar Chughtai, Vice President-Project Finance, Korea Development Bank.

Inspired by the medieval Silk Route, OBOR will connect trade routes via sea and land across dozens of countries. The expected spending on this project is set to exceed $1 trillion. This idea serves to coalesce six major routes which will include railways lines, roads and ports into one single project. China claims that these corridors will direct the establishment of world-class infrastructure in nations that cannot afford to do it themselves. The global trade business will be massively boosted too.

The initiation of OBOR has impacted trade networking plans of the neighboring countries as well. India’s Trilateral Highway project is one such example. India’s domestic road expansion spree is extending to International roadways as well. The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMTTH) project is spread over 1,360 km. This intra-continental highway starts from a small town called Moreh in Manipur (India), passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in Thailand. The terms of the project require a construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa road section (close to 150 km) and Kalewa-Yargi road section (over 120 km) in Myanmar to develop the road connectivity within South-East Asia.

The recent developments can confirm that India has already finished the construction of a 130 km long road stretch that connects Moreh in India to Kalewa in Myanmar. Many economic experts believe that the IMTTH project can have a counterbalancing effect on OBOR’s predicted impact on Asia’s trade chain. Mr Akhilesh Srivastava’s panel discussion in the Annual Roads and Highways Meet will give us more insight on India’s plan for future highways.