Free Movement Regime between India and Myanmar scrapped. Here's WHY?

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar to ensure the internal security of the country and also to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on his social media handle ‘X’ said, “It is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji's resolve to secure our borders, 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.”

It may be mentioned that the MHA on February 6, decided to fence the entire 1643 km long Indo-Myanmar border to facilitate better surveillance along the border. Out of the total border length, a 10 km stretch in Moreh in Manipur has already been fenced.