Kabaw Valley

The Kabaw Valley also known as Kubo valley is a highland valley in Myanmar's western Sagaing Division, close to the border with India's Manipur. The valley is located between Yomadong range of mountains, which constitute the present-day India–Myanmar border, and the Chindwin River (also called the Ningthi River).

According to the Manipur chronicles, king Kiyamba of Manipur conquered the Kabaw Valley jointly with the king of the Pong kingdom in the 15 century, and the valley was divided between the two kings. It was under Manipuri control for a considerable period, though it was frequently occupied by the Burmese kings from Bayinnaung onwards. Finally it was ceded to Burma by the king Marjit Singh in return for Burmese help in his accession to the throne.

During the First Anglo-Burmese War, the Manipuri prince Gambhir Singh evicted the Burmese from the Kabaw valley, but the Burmese contested the Manipuri claim to it. After receiving input from the British envoy to Burma, Major Burney, the British were persuaded to hand the valley back to Burma in 1834. The British compensated Manipur for the loss of territory by annual subsidy.