Cabinet nod for agreement with Myanmar

Even as the central government has asked security agencies to step up vigil along the eastern borders to prevent infiltration of Rohingya Muslims, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an agreement between India and Myanmar on land border crossing to enhance economic interaction between people of the two countries.

India shares a 1643-km long border with Myanmar in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. Despite threats, the India–Myanmar border has the Free Movement Regime (FMR), which allows the tribes living along the border to travel 16 km across the boundary without visa restrictions. There are over 250 villages with over 300,000 people living within 10 km of the border who frequently cross the border through 150 small and large, formal and informal, border crossings.

The agreement will further facilitate and regulate movement of people on the basis of valid passports and visas which will enhance economic and social interaction between the two countries, the cabinet note stated. It is expected to provide connectivity and enhance interaction of the people from north-eastern states of India with those of Myanmar.