No free movement between India and Myanmar, travel documents necessary

The government on Thursday suspended the free movement system between India and Myanmar. The free movement system allows people living on either side of the international border to travel within 16 kilometers of each other's territory without a visa.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on X (formerly Twitter) that PM Modi has resolved that our borders should be secure. Therefore, the Home Ministry has decided that this system will be abolished to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of the north-eastern states.

This decision has come two days after Home Minister Amit Shah's statement in which he had said that India will fence the entire 1,643 km long border with Myanmar and will also build patrol tracks for security forces.

The announcement comes after incidents of ethnic violence in Manipur between the Kukis (who have ethnic links with communities in Myanmar's Chin State) and the majority Meitai. Fencing the border has been a frequent demand of the Meitai groups of Imphal Valley, who have been alleging that tribal militants often enter India through the open border. Meitei groups also allege that drugs are being smuggled into India by taking advantage of the unfenced international border.

Four Indian states – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram – share a 1,643 km long border with Myanmar.

After the military coup in the neighboring country Myanmar in February 2021, more than 31,000 of its people took refuge in Mizoram. Most of these people are from Chin state. Many people have also taken refuge in Manipur. Last year, dozens of Myanmar soldiers deployed along the international border with India also fled to Mizoram after a fierce gunfight with the militia group People's Defense Force (PDF). Later, he was sent back to his country.