Process To Scrap FMR Along India-Myanmar Border Has Begun: Amit Shah

The Centre has decided to end the Free Movement Regime between India and Myanmar over internal security, Home Minister Amit Shah said.

Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar in a bid to ensure internal security of India and to maintain the demographic structure of the northeastern states of India bordering Myanmar.

Taking to microblogging site X, Home Minister Shah wrote, “It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar.”

The Union Home Minister also said that as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is in the process of scrapping the FMR between India and Myanmar, the MHA has recommended its immediate suspension.

“Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Home Minister Shah added in his post on X.

The northeast state of Manipur has been constantly calling for scrapping of the FMR that allows citizens on both sides of the India-Myanmar international border to travel up to 16 kilometres into the other country without any travel document.

The FMR has been attributed as a factor of illegal immigration in the state as it enables individuals to cross over from Myanmar and allegedly acquire Indian citizenship through fraudulent means and to avail benefits that are meant for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) of Manipur under the Indian constitution.

On the other hand, the Mizoram government and other civil organisations of the northeast hill state have been opposing fencing the Indo-Myanmar international border stating that it will divide the ethnic communities of both the neighbouring countries as it will bring an end to the FMR. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Home Minister Shah said that the Centre has decided to fence the entire 1,643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border. He further said that a patrol track along the border will also be paved.

India shares a 1,643-kilometre-long border with Myanmar. Four states of the northeast- Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal share international borders with the neighbouring country. While Manipur shares a 398-kilometre-long border with Myanmar, Mizoram shares 510 kilometres, Nagaland 215 kilometres, and Arunachal Pradesh 520 kilometres. Along with illegal immigration, these porous borders and the FMR also pose a threat to illegal activities like smuggling of various contraband items, including narcotic drugs, arms and ammunition, among others from Myanmar to India.