India Plans 100 km Smart Fencing System Along Myanmar Border to Enhance Surveillance

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) wants to build an advanced smart fence system along a 100-kilometer length of the India-Myanmar border to augment existing monitoring systems, according to its 2022-23 annual report.

 

The lack of fence and unrestricted migration from Myanmar have been mentioned as factors leading to ethnic violence in Manipur, where at least 175 people have died since May 3. According to the research, Manipur accounted for 137 of the 201 insurgency-related occurrences recorded in the northeastern states in 2022.

 

 

"The activities of Meitei, Naga, Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar insurgent groups have an impact on Manipur." Since August 2008, a total of 23 UG [underground] organisations under two conglomerates [United Peoples' Front [UPF] - 8 and Kuki National Organisation [KNO] - 15] have been subject to a Suspension of Operation [SoO] deal with the Government of India," according to the study.

 

The MHA also cited the presence of a Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar, which allows residents living within 16 kilometers of the border on either side to travel with a border pass (valid for one year) and remain for up to two weeks every visit. However, due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Manipur halted the FMR in 2020.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh urged that the FMR at the Myanmar border be cancelled and the fence be completed. Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km) form India's border with Myanmar.

 

According to the study, 1,472 kilometers of the overall boundary length have been demarcated. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been tasked with constructing a 10.023 km border barrier in Moreh, Manipur, with 6.812 km currently constructed. The full project is expected to be completed by 2023.