Illegal cross-border trade in India into Myanmar, along with the influx of undocumented migrants, has emerged as a major concern along the Indo-Myanmar border in Mizoram’s southern Lawngtlai district, prompting district authorities to convene a consultation meeting on January 19 at the DC Conference Hall in Lawngtlai.
The meeting was chaired by Lawngtlai Deputy Commissioner Donny Lalruatsanga, who, while welcoming participants, said that the increasing movement of people and goods from the Myanmar side into Indian territory without regulation posed serious administrative, security, and social challenges.
He informed the meeting that the Mizoram Home Department has issued instructions to take necessary steps to address the issue.
The Deputy Commissioner stressed that tackling illegal cross-border trade and immigration would require coordinated action involving NGOs, Village Councils, police, and security forces. While acknowledging humanitarian considerations, he cautioned that failure to take timely and collective action could have long-term implications for the district and the state.
During the consultation, it was proposed to hold an inter-district joint meeting and conduct surprise checks aimed at identifying undocumented migrants and tracking illegal trade routes. To strengthen enforcement, the meeting decided to constitute a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Lawngtlai, with the objective of finalising the SOP by mid-February.
While Champhai district is widely known as a major crossing point into Myanmar, officials and residents said the lesser-known southern border areas of Lawngtlai district have increasingly become corridors for unregulated trade. Residents described the situation as disruptive to local life.
“It is not merely people from the Myanmar side coming across for personal shopping. They cross over and purchase goods in bulk, which are then transported illegally,” said a trusted source from Lawngtlai. “The items include food products, snacks, daily necessities, slippers, footwear and cold drinks. Except for rice and vegetables, most of their requirements are sourced from India,” the source said, adding that many of those involved are linked to the Arakan Army.
On June 24, 2024, the Central Young Lai Association (CYLA), a prominent NGO in Lawngtlai district, issued a statement banning the movement of goods from the Indian side into Myanmar’s Rakhine State through Paletwa Township in Chin State.
CYLA said the ban was intended to curb the strengthening of the Arakan Army, alleging that supplies from Mizoram, including fuel, were indirectly aiding the group’s military activities.
However, sources noted that while the roadblocks restricted some conflict-related movement, they also severely affected access to essential commodities for the Chin community in Myanmar.
In an interview last year, a member of Myanmar’s National Unity Consultative Council, an advisory body to the National Unity Government, told EastMojo on condition of anonymity that several Chinland People’s Defence Forces are in operational alliance with the Arakan Army.
The source added that some Chin groups were unhappy with the Arakan Army’s capture of Paletwa Township, though tensions remain manageable. Another trusted source earlier told EastMojo that the Indian central government seeks to maintain working relations with the Arakan Army.
Zomuana, a development professional and member of the Mizoram State Planning Board, conducted independent studies on the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) in November 2021 and again in May 2025.
His findings indicate that Zochachhuah village, home to the Bru and Rakhine communities with a population of 787, has seen a rise in seasonal cross-border trade entering India from Myanmar since 2024, primarily via the Sekulh River, particularly between June and September.
During this period, the primary livelihood in the village revolves around handling goods, including unloading cargo from vehicles arriving from the Myanmar side and loading them onto boats headed toward Paletwa. Locals reportedly earn around ₹2,000 for loading and between ₹1,500 and ₹6,000 for unloading, depending on the type of cargo and mode of transport.
“Lawngtlai has become very crowded,” said Thanpuii, a resident who has lived in the town since the early 1990s. “There are people who are genuinely vulnerable, such as refugees selling vegetables by the roadside. But there are also illegal traders who operate in bulk. Local residents do not benefit much, as most purchases are made within tightly knit trading networks,” she said.
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A district official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said authorities are continuously working to maintain law and order. “We regularly issue circulars stating that such trade is illegal, but people are not deterred because it is highly profitable,” the official said.
The official added that the scale of illegal trade has begun affecting essential civic services. “Even sanitation services are impacted. We are facing a shortage of drivers for garbage trucks, as many have shifted to transporting goods across the border from the Myanmar side into India,” the official said.
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