In a significant move aimed at bolstering internal security, India has suspended the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime, which allowed citizens from both nations to cross the border without passports or visas. The decision, announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, comes amidst the government’s plans to fortify the 1,643-km border with Myanmar with fencing and patrolling tracks.
The suspension of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) was prompted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to securing India’s borders, as emphasized by Home Minister Amit Shah. Citing the need to maintain the demographic structure of the northeastern states and ensure internal security, Shah stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to scrap the FMR.
This decision follows earlier announcements by Shah regarding plans to fence the entire India-Myanmar border and implement a patrolling track alongside it. A 10-km stretch in Manipur’s Moreh has already been fenced, with additional fencing projects approved for approximately 20km in Manipur. Pilot projects featuring a hybrid surveillance system have also been initiated along the border.
The move to suspend the FMR comes in the wake of ethnic violence in Manipur last year, with tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities escalating. Meitei leaders have attributed the violence in part to unchecked entry of illegal immigrants from Myanmar under the FMR. This sentiment has been echoed by Manipur’s Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who has expressed support for scrapping the FMR and strengthening border security.
However, the decision has met with opposition from Mizoram, which shares a border with Myanmar. Mizoram’s Chief Minister Lalduhoma has expressed concerns about separating people of the same ethnic group living on either side of the border.
The India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime, implemented in 1970 and revived in 2016 as part of the ‘Act East’ policy, allowed for visa-free entry and served as a means for tribes with shared kinship to visit their families across the border. However, amid growing security challenges and tensions, India has opted to suspend the regime to safeguard its internal security interests.
Sources By Agencies
