IMPHAL, March 17: India’s 1,643 km-long border with Myanmar is set to be completely enclosed by an “anti-cut, anti-climb” fence within the next decade, according to a report from The Hindu, citing government officials and a parliamentary panel report. The ambitious project, first announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in February 2024, has gained significant momentum in recent months, officials stated.

Between April 1 and December 31, 2024, the government allocated Rs 114.09 crore for the construction of fencing and for setting up company operating bases (COBs) for the Assam Rifles, the central armed police force (CAPF) responsible for securing the Myanmar border.

A senior Assam Rifles official emphasized that the technology behind the fence is entirely indigenous, developed by Indian engineers, and includes advanced anti-cut and anti-climb features designed to deter illegal infiltration and enhance border security.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave its approval for the fencing project in March 2024, with a total cost of Rs 31,000 crore earmarked for the project, which includes constructing roads to improve connectivity for the Assam Rifles’ COBs. The CCS approved in-principle the construction of 64 border roads, alongside the fencing. “For creating infrastructure along the IMB (India-Myanmar Border), the CCS granted in-principle approval for construction of the fence and 64 border roads at a total cost of Rs 31,031.9 crore,” the report mentioned.

The fencing model along the India-Myanmar border is expected to be replicated along India’s international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, an official added. However, the project has faced significant opposition from communities in the region, particularly from the Naga and Kuki-Zo people, who argue that the fence would disrupt deep ethnic and familial ties of people living on both sides of the border.

Currently, India and Myanmar share an unfenced border under a Free Movement Regime (FMR), which allows people to visit their families within a 10 km radius of the border without the need for a visa or passport. However, former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has linked ongoing ethnic violence in the region, which has led to over 250 deaths since May 2023, to the unregulated movement of people across the border. Until last year, only a small 10 km stretch of the border near Moreh in Manipur was fenced.

In response to security concerns, on March 1, 2025, Amit Shah directed the Assam Rifles to construct a 10-km fence on either side of each border gate or crossing point under the revised FMR. Out of 43 Myanmar border crossing points, 22 are currently operational, including 11 in Manipur.

To improve border monitoring, surveillance cameras will be installed along the fence. Border gates and fencing will help ensure accountability for individuals crossing the border. According to government officials, nearly 9,000 people have used the designated border gates to enter Manipur, with few cases of overstaying.

For individuals entering India from Myanmar, the process involves reporting at designated crossing points, completing a form, and having their biometrics recorded by Assam Rifles personnel. A border pass, complete with a photograph and QR code, will be issued, valid for seven days, and must be returned upon exit. All data collected is uploaded to a centralized portal for further tracking.

The Free Movement Regime (FMR), which was first introduced in 1968, initially allowed free movement up to 40 km on either side of the border. This was later reduced to 16 km in 2004, with additional regulations introduced in 2016. In February 2024, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced the suspension of the FMR and finalized new protocols for regulating movement within a 10 km radius of the border in December 2024.

The India-Myanmar border spans four states: Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km).