FENCING OF INDIA-MYANMAR BORDER
FENCING OF INDIA-MYANMAR BORDER
IN NEWS
- The government is reported to have approved fencing the entire 1,643 km porous India-Myanmar border at an approximate coast of Rs 31,000 cr.
- So far, only 30km border of India with Myanmar is fenced.
- Cabinet Committee on Security Gave In Principle Approval for Fencing of India-Myanmar Border
ABOUT
- Definition: Porous border refers to border areas not protected enough to stop people going through. It could be both open (unfenced) and closed (fenced).
- In addition to Myanmar, India shares open borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
- India also shares porous border issues with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.
Threats to national security:
- Such a border facilitates: Cross-border terrorism, insurgency in the North East, arms smuggling, human trafficking etc.
- Drug trafficking (Myanmar is part of the Golden Triangle).
- Refugee influx (resulting from political instability neighbours).
Challenges in border fencing
- Rugged terrain: Marshy land, riverine borders, and extreme climatic conditions (like in Siachen Glacier) pose technological and financial challenges.
- Lack of demarcation: Some of India’s borders with its neighbours are disputed and therefore are not demarcated.
- Popular discontent due to cross-border ethnic ties: For example. Zo Reunification Organisation of Mizoram protested against government’s decision to fence the India-Myanmar border and suspend the Free Movement Regime (FMR).
INITIATIVES FOR EFFECTIVE BORDER MANAGEMENT
- CIBMS (Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System) – Integration of manpower, sensors, networks, intelligence and command control solution.
- BOLD-QIT – Being deployed under CIBM for the use of different kinds of intrusion detection sensors (radar, electro-optics etc.)
- BIM – Border Infrastructure and Management Scheme – A Central Sector Scheme for the construction of border fence, border flood lights etc.
- Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 – Strategic projects for national security located within 100 km of distance from international borders.