Abstract The Indo-Burman Ranges (IBR) represent an accretionary wedge, which is the result of subduction of the Indian plate beneath the Asian plate. In the Rakhine Coastal Belt it comprises a thick stack of Cretaceous to Neogene turbiditic sediments and localized thrust sheets of oceanic plate mafics and pelagic sediments. We investigate Eocene–Miocene sandstones, aiming to reveal the provenance of the detrital material using modal framework grain, heavy mineral and detrital zircon analysis (U–Pb laser ablation ICP-MS dating, Hf isotope geochemistry and typology). The results show a predominant derivation of the clastic material from: (i) Late Cretaceous to Oligocene igneous rocks, which are often bimodal with a low number of zircons spanning the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary, and (ii) recycled orogenic terrane sources comprising ophiolitic rocks. Age corrected Hf isotope ratios confirm subduction-related mixed mantle-crust sources. We also observe minor reworking of older magmatic zircons. By comparing our obtained petrographic parameters and zircon characteristics with potential Himalayan, Indian continent and Burman margin sources we conclude a Burman margin and arc origin provenance. With regard to hydrocarbon exploration in the IBR, a forearc and trench basin system model linked with the Burman arc appears more appropriate for evaluating the petroleum system. Supplementary material: sandstone modal composition, heavy mineral contents, detrital zircon U–Pb LA-ICPMS dating and hafnium results are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18651 .