Centre Scraps Free Movement Between India, Myanmar To Ensure Internal Security

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Centre has scrapped the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar to ensure the country’s internal security and to maintain the demographic structure of the Northeastern states bordering Myanmar.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Union Home Minister wrote, “It is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR.”

Welcoming the Centre’s decision, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh took to X and stated, “Immensely grateful to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Hon’ble HM Shri Amit Shah Ji for their commitment to securing our borders. The decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar, as recommended by Home Ministry, is crucial for our internal security and the demographic integrity of our North Eastern States.”

He added, “This is yet another historic decision in curbing illegal immigration and strengthening our internal security after the recent announcement to fence the 1,643 Km Indo-Myanmar border by Government of India.”

The development comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said India had decided to fence the entire 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border.

According to Shah, a patrol track along the border will also be paved for better surveillance.

“Out of the total border length, a 10 km stretch in Moreh, Manipur, has already been fenced. Furthermore, two pilot projects of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution,” Shah added.

The home minister also announced that the fencing work covering approx 20 km in Manipur has also been approved, and the work on the same will start soon.

Manipur shares around 390 km of border with Myanmar, but only about 10 km has been fenced so far. In July last year, the state government shared data that around 700 illegal immigrants entered the state.

Besides, Mizoram has seen an influx of anti-Junta rebels in thousands since the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021. According to government estimates, several thousand refugees have been living in different parts of Mizoram since the coup.

Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar.

WHAT IS FMR

The Free Movement Regime (FMR) allows people residing close to the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km into each other’s territory without any documents.

The 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, which passes through Mizoram, ethic riot-hit Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh had the FMR.

It was introduced in 2018 as part of India’s Act East policy.

Fencing along the border has been a persistent demand of the Imphal Valley-based Meitei groups which have been alleging that tribal militants often enter into India through the porous border.

The Meitei groups also allege that narcotics are being smuggled into India taking advantage of the unfenced international border.

(With PTI inputs)