- Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced fencing of the India-Myanmar border.
- This announcement has been made at a time when a large number of Myanmar citizens are fleeing to India to escape ethnic conflicts in Myanmar.
- Fencing will help control illegal migration and smuggling on the border.
Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that the Indian government will erect fencing along the India-Myanmar border. This announcement has been made at a time when a large number of Myanmar citizens are fleeing to India to escape ethnic conflicts in Myanmar.
Shah said the fencing would help control illegal migration and smuggling on the border. He said that this is necessary for the security of India.
The fencing work is expected to be completed in the next four years. The cost of this project is approximately Rs 2,000 crore.
The announcement of imposition of BARD is likely to impact relations between India and Myanmar. The Myanmar government has described this announcement as “unacceptable”.
Hundreds of Myanmar soldiers have fled to India to escape the fighting since the ceasefire ended in November, according to local media reports. Two Myanmar military aircraft reached Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram state, to collect and bring back troops retreating from the conflict.
Myanmar was plunged into crisis when generals seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup in February 2021. Since the coup, violence and unrest have increased in the country.
In November 2023, Myanmar’s military regime acknowledged that it was facing “overwhelming attacks” by anti-coup forces. In these attacks, rebels have captured several towns and dozens of military posts in border areas.
Myanmar’s army has been badly affected by these attacks. The soldiers fear the rebels and flee to India.
