Reclaiming Arakan's Place in the Bay of Bengal: Bridging Historical Ties for Future Mutual Prosperity

The Bay of Bengal has historically been a vibrant zone of cultural, religious, and commercial exchange. At the heart of these interactions stood Arakan (present-day Rakhine State), a coastal kingdom whose spiritual, diplomatic, and economic exchanges with India and Southeast Asia made it a central player in pre-modern regional dynamics. Drawing on extensive historical and archaeological evidence, particularly from Pamela Gutman and related scholars, this paper explores how Arakan can once again serve as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia, fostering mutual benefits for the peoples and economies of both regions. In the context of Indias Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) and the evolving political landscape within Arakan, this article argues for renewed Indo-Arakan cooperation, not only for infrastructural and commercial gains but also to advance soft diplomacy through shared cultural heritage, education, and inter-regional understanding.