Mizzima
The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that the Indian government has started constructing a border fence fencing on the border with Myanmar.
In an interview with the Assam Tribune, he said that the Indian government had taken several steps to prevent infiltration by foreigners and secure its borders with Myanmar,
He said: “We want to see peace and stability restored in Myanmar at the earliest time so that these people can return to their home country peacefully.”
Prime Minister Modi further said that the Indian government has urged the government of Mizoram to take up a campaign for the “capture of biometric data of illegal migrants.”
The Prime Minister also said that the central government updated its policies in response to the changing realities on the ground.
The prime minister said that the Indian Government has taken the following steps to secure its border with Myanmar to prevent foreigners illegally entering India:
1 – Scrapping of the Free Movement Regime between India and Myanmar
2 – Increased and effective deployment of Border Guard Forces on the Indo-Myanmar border
3 – Close coordination among various security agencies
4- Construction of fencing on stretches of the Indo-Myanmar Border where it is feasible.
On 6 February, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the border between India and Myanmar would be fenced, similarly to what has been done on the border with Bangladesh.
Local people and the refugees from fighting have concerns over the building of border fencing along the Myanmar border which will cost US$ 3.7 billion.
Tens of thousands of Myanmar refugees and even junta soldiers have crossed into India to flee fighting in Rakhine and Chin states and Sagaing Region.
According to the data collected by civil society organisations (CSOs), since the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, nearly 60,000 Myanmar nationals have crossed into India to take refuge from fighting on the Myanmar side of the border.
Four Indian states — Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh — share a 1,643-km-long international border with Myanmar. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar’s Chin State and the Mizos share ethnic ties with the Chin people.
