MHA declares scrapping of Free Movement Regime along Indo-Myanmar border

Guwahati, Feb 8: In order to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday announced that they have decided to scrap the 'Free Movement Regime' with Myanmar following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "resolve to secure" India's borders.

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah, via the microblogging site 'X', stated, “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. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR."

It may be mentioned that earlier this week Shah stated that one-kilometre fencing with surveillance facilities had started at Moreh. Making the announcement, the Union Home Minister said the fencing work is started as a pilot project of one kilometre each at Manipur's Moreh and another one kilometre at Arunachal Pradesh. It may be mentioned that India shares a 1643-kilometre stretch of porous border with the neighbouring country, Myanmar.