Guwahati: Numaligarh Refinery Ltd has exported wax for the first time using the Moreh-Tamu land route.

Tamu, which is the bordering town of Myanmar, is around 425-430km from the NRL.

Earlier, all exports to Myanmar were done via the sea route through Calcutta/Haldia port.

A consignment, containing 20 tonnes of wax in two trucks, was flagged off from the refinery's marketing terminal to Myanmar by managing director (in-charge), NRL, S. K. Barua, in the presence of senior officials of the company on Saturday.

Stating this on Monday, the refinery authorities said the development is significant as it is another effort to bolster the Centre's Act East policy.

"The NRL has been trying to establish trade links with neighbouring Southeast Asian countries through export of paraffin wax and diesel," one of them said.

Barua said: "This development is the right step towards opening border trade with Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries which is very crucial for development of the Northeast."

The India-Myanmar Friendship Road of 100 miles connects Moreh in India to Kalewa in Myanmar and the Myanmar government is heavily investing in roads and infrastructure on this stretch which will provide access to the wealthy interiors of Myanmar. "We feel there is a great potential to revive international commerce through roads and rails between India and Myanmar," Barua said.

Myanmar and Bangladesh being the closest countries, additional thrust has been given to establish markets in these countries for NRL products. The refinery authorities said export through the land route is a shot in the arm for the Assam government ahead of the two-day global investors' meet from February 3.

It will be an attempt to showcase Assam as a potential investment destination for investors within the country and abroad.