IMPHAL, Dec 10: India has intensified efforts to secure its 1,643-km porous border with Myanmar, despite growing opposition from communities in Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. The government is pushing forward with an ambitious border fencing project, aiming to complete it within the next ten years, amid rising security concerns and illegal activities along the border.
According to a report by The Times of India (TOI), the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will oversee the fencing project in phases, with an estimated cost of around Rs 20,000 crore for the fence itself and an additional Rs 11,000 crore for the construction of over 60 border roads. The Indian Army has stated that more than 1,500 km of fencing, including 300 km of electric fencing, is necessary to effectively manage the India-Myanmar border and ensure the security and stability of India’s northeastern region.
This move comes in the wake of ongoing violence in Manipur, where ethnic clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities have resulted in over 250 deaths since May of the previous year. Over 60,000 people remain displaced, and security forces have recovered less than half of the 6,000 weapons looted during the conflict. The volatile situation in Myanmar, fueled by the military coup in February 2021, has further exacerbated the crisis, with more than 31,000 refugees from Myanmar seeking refuge in India over the past year.
The situation at the border is further complicated by an increase in illegal activities, including smuggling, human trafficking, and the movement of armed infiltrators. In the last six months, drugs worth Rs 1,125 crore have been seized along the border.
However, the fencing project has faced significant opposition from communities living in border areas. In Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh, some groups have protested the fencing and the scrapping of the ‘Free Movement Regime,’ which allowed people living along the border to move up to 16 km into each other’s territory without visas. Apex Kuki bodies, in particular, have voiced concerns that these measures will infringe upon the cultural, traditional, and historical rights of indigenous communities.
Experts have criticized the project, calling it a costly initiative that could disrupt the livelihoods and connections of people with familial ties across the border. Nonetheless, officials from the defense and security establishment have assured that the fencing will not sever cultural or familial bonds. “The fencing is not intended to restrict the movement of civilians,” said an official source. “A network of gates with biometric systems along the fence is being planned to allow cross-border movement while ensuring security. The locations of these entry and exit points will be decided through collaborative consultations with local residents.”
The primary aim of the fence is to curb the movement of armed groups and to address smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal immigration, officials emphasized. The success of a 10-km section of the fence completed in Moreh, Manipur, has shown promising results in improving both security and trade management. “The fencing will also regulate and boost legitimate trade, ensuring economic benefits for the local communities while eliminating the adverse impact of illegal trade,” the source added.
