People living on either side of the border are permitted to travel 16 kilometres into each other’s territory without a visa according to the mutually agreed-upon Free Movement Regime (FMR).
When presenting a border pass valid for a year, members of the hill tribes are permitted entry and a two-week stay. Although it is late in the day, the decision to abandon the accord and fence the border seems certain.
Source: India Today
The Centre’s decision aims to curb the entry of illegal immigrants and prevent rebel groups from abusing FMR. It would be difficult to stop the cross-border drug trade, which is fueled by the widespread poppy production in India.
Manipur (398 km), Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), and Mizoram (510 km) all share the unfenced border. Despite the fact that Manipur suspended the FMR in 2020, the state’s ethnic conflict is said to be caused in part by uncontrolled migration across the porous border. Sophisticated fencing should tighten restrictions.
A surge of anti-junta rebels has been observed in Mizoram since the military takeover of Myanmar in 2021. Armed insurgency organisations have found a home after the coup, and the instability in Manipur is thought to have gotten worse due to the refugee crisis.
Source: WION
India has already expressed to Myanmar its concerns on the potential for the simmering crisis to spread throughout the neighbourhood. Experience in J&K and Punjab has demonstrated that fences by themselves are not a reliable means of securing borders.
A self-developed anti-drone technology is being deployed by the Centre throughout the entire western border in response to the massive drug and weapon hauls. Pilot programs are being conducted with technology demonstrators. Border surveillance can be enhanced by carefully combining several techniques.
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