India-Myanmar border to be fenced soon, says Home Minister Amit Shah
- The Union government will soon fence the 1,643 km border between India and Myanmar, and will consider ending its free movement regime (FMR) agreement with the neighbouring country
Key Highlights
- The FMR, implemented in 2018 as part of India’s Act East Policy.
- Allowed residents of both countries living along the border to travel up to 16 km into each other’s territory without a visa.
- Much of India’s 4,096 km border with Bangladesh has been double-fenced to stop the unauthorised entry of people into India, a major concern for the northeastern States, especially Assam.
No more free movement
- The government is also reconsidering India’s FMR agreement with Myanmar and will soon end the free movement into India.
- Manipur wants the Myanmar border to be fenced, and the free entry of Myanmar nationals, accused of stoking the ongoing ethnic conflict, stopped.
- Mizoram and Nagaland, on the other hand, are against the dual move on the Myanmar front as the people on either side of the international border in those States belong to the same ethnic communities.
- Some 30,000 Chin people from civil war-torn Myanmar have also taken shelter in Mizoram since February 2021.
Prelims Takeaway
- Myanmar
- Free movement regime