Guwahati: The Union government has announced plans to dismantle the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar border, a senior government official revealed on January 2.
This decision, expected to impact states in the Northeast, including Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, will necessitate individuals from border areas, who previously enjoyed unrestricted movement, to obtain visas for crossing over into India.
The move, reported by The Hindu, is part of a broader strategy to enhance border security, with approximately 300 km of the border set to be fenced. The official further stated that a tender for this project would be issued in the coming days and that a survey of border areas with the aid of drones has been completed.
India and Myanmar share an unfenced border, a unique arrangement established in the 1970s under the Free Movement Regime due to familial and ethnic ties between people on either side. The proposed change has raised concerns, particularly in states like Nagaland and Mizoram, where opposition to the move is anticipated.
Addressing potential opposition, the official emphasised that border security falls under the jurisdiction of the Centre, and while the concerns of the states will be noted, the final decision rests with the Union government. Ongoing discussions with Myanmar are reportedly taking place to navigate the implications of this shift.
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While the Manipur government suspended the Free Movement Regime in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, other states have continued to exercise their free movement rights.
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