India Decided to Fence its Border With Myanmar

The Indian government has decided to build a fence or close border along the 1,643-kilometer border with Myanmar, according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

About Indo-Myanmar Border

• The India-Myanmar border spans 1,643 km and passes through four states - Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. 
• A 10 km stretch in Moreh, Manipur, has already been fenced and two pilot projects using a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are underway. 
• These projects will fence one km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Furthermore, fence works covering approximately 20 km in Manipur have also been approved and the work will commence soon.

Free Movement Regime (FMR)

• The Free Movement Regime (FMR) is an agreement between India and Myanmar that allows local tribes living along the border to travel up to 16 kilometres inside the other country without requiring a visa. 
• According to agreement, local tribes living in any area within 16 km on either side of the border can travel with one-year validity and stay for a maximum of two weeks.

Ending FMR

• The Indian government has decided to begin the process for implementing an advanced smart fencing system along the entire India-Myanmar border. 
• The new system will end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) policy along the Indo-Myanmar border, ensuring that anyone entering the country through this route would require a valid visa.
• The fencing project is expected to be completed within four-and-a-half years. 
• The government has taken this decision to curb illegal immigration into the country. Only about 10 km of the 390 km porous border between Manipur and Myanmar is currently fenced.

Connectivity with Myanmar

• India is constructing the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project, a cargo transport system which combines road, river and port transportation. 
• It aims to connect Kolkata to Sittwe in Myanmar and then from Myanmar's Kaladan river to India's northeast. 
• In addition, India is collaborating with Myanmar and Thailand on the Asian Trilateral Highway project, which will link India to ASEAN. This road is expected to enhance trade and commerce in the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area and other Southeast Asian countries.

Defence Cooperation with Myanmar

India and Myanmar conduct Bilateral Army Exercise (IMBAX) to strengthen relations and combat insurgency in India's northeast.

Multilateral Partnership

• Myanmar is important in India's plans to better connect South Asia and Southeast Asia. This is done through a group called BIMSTEC, which promotes cooperation between countries along the Bay of Bengal.
• Because Myanmar belongs to several key regional groups like ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and the Mekong Ganga Cooperation, its ties with India have significance across the region. This matches India's "Act East" policy of increasing its role in Southeast Asia.
• In general, Myanmar has supported India's positions in various international organizations. In return, India supported Myanmar joining SAARC (a major South Asian group) as an observer member in 2008.