India suspends Free Movement Regime with Myanmar

India suspends Free Movement Regime along Myanmar border, requiring visas for border residents to enter India.

India has suspended Free Movement Regime along the Myanmar border with immediate effect. This would mean people living in border areas, who could cross over to India, will require visas.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar. Since the Ministry of External Affairs is currently in the process of scrapping it, MHA has recommended the immediate suspension of the FMR,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X, formerly Twitter.

What is FMR? Why the Centre wants to scrap it?

The Hindureported last month that the Union government is actively considering to scrap the arrangement. Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh too urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to cancel the FMR along the India-Myanmar border and complete its fencing. He attributed the ongoing ethnic violence in the State to the free movement of people from across the border.

The Free Movement Regime between India and Myanmar dates back to the 1970s, under which a member of the hill tribes, who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar, and who resides within 16 km on either side of the border, can cross the border on production of a border pass, usually valid for a year, and can stay for up to two weeks per visit.

The Manipur government has suspended the FMR since 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

On February 6, Mr. Shah had announced that the government will construct a fence along the 1,643-kilometre border with Myanmar.