Source: X
Guwahati, Sept 19: In a bid to enhance national security, the Centre has announced plans to fence the entire 1,643 km porous border with Myanmar, notorious for smuggling arms, ammunition, and narcotics. The ambitious project is estimated to cost around ₹31,000 crore, a newswire reported on Wednesday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Tuesday, had revealed that fencing has already been completed for 30 km of the border, which he identified as a key factor contributing to ethnic violence in Manipur.
He also stressed that securing the border is essential for curbing illegal activities and ensuring peace in the region.
The Cabinet Committee on Security has granted, in principle, approval for the construction of the fencing and associated roads along the entire international boundary that stretches across Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Currently, about 10 km of fencing has been successfully erected near Moreh, with plans underway to fence an additional 21 km in various areas of Manipur.
The decision comes on the heels of the Centre’s scrapping of the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR), which previously allowed residents living near the border to cross 16 km into each other's territory without documentation.
However, this move, part of India's Act East policy introduced in 2018, has been a point of contention in the Northeastern states.
Nagaland recently joined Mizoram in opposing the fencing initiative, passing a resolution in the state assembly against the project and the abolition of the FMR.
Mizoram was the first state in the Northeast to call on the central government to reconsider its stance, highlighting the historical and cultural connections of the Zo ethnic community.
Conversely, Manipur has expressed support for the fencing project, viewing it as a necessary measure to combat illegal migration and enhance security.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has underscored the importance of protecting Manipur's 400-km border with Myanmar, stressing the need for increased vigilance against drug smuggling and other illicit activities.
The decision to move forward with the border fencing was initially announced by Shah during a speech at an Assam Police commandos' passing out parade in Guwahati on January 20.
As the project progresses, it remains to be seen how it will impact the delicate socio-political landscape of the Northeastern states.
