New Delhi/Aizawl, March 21: The porous nature of the Indo-Myanmar border has come under renewed scrutiny following the arrest of seven foreigners, including six Ukrainians and a U.S. citizen, for allegedly crossing into Myanmar via Mizoram and engaging with armed ethnic groups.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has accused the group of training ethnic armed organisations in weapons handling and drone operations, and of smuggling drones from Europe into Myanmar through India.
The development has once again highlighted the slow progress of border infrastructure projects. According to official data, only 43.75 km of the total 1,643 km border fencing approved by the government has been completed so far. While 390.39 km has been sanctioned, 346.64 km remains under construction. The project was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2024 at an estimated cost of ₹31,000 crore.
Border road infrastructure is also at a nascent stage, with just 11.5 km completed out of 3,194.8 km approved, even as over 930 km remains under construction.
The India-Myanmar border, spanning across Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, continues to be largely unfenced, raising concerns over illegal migration, human trafficking and insurgent activities.
To address these challenges, the government has adopted measures such as intelligence-led operations, enhanced surveillance, coordination with local communities and the Myanmar Army, and the introduction of a joint counter-drone mechanism with monthly reporting.
India and Myanmar share a Free Movement Regime (FMR), which allows cross-border travel without visas. However, the permissible movement has recently been restricted to 10 km from the earlier 16 km.
Efforts to regulate movement through designated entry and exit points have also seen limited success. While 43 gates were initially operationalised, only 38 remain and just 20 are currently functional, with several shut due to low usage.
The fencing project has also faced resistance from local communities along the border, owing to deep-rooted ethnic, social and cultural ties shared across both sides.
Meanwhile, the Mizoram Police ruled out the possibility of the accused entering through Lengpui Airport, citing stringent verification of Protected Area Permits (PAP) for all foreign nationals.
“No foreigners can leave the lone Lengpui airport without having Protected Area Permit (PAP). There is no way they could pass through the arrival section without PAPs,” a senior official said.
Police suspect that the individuals may have entered the state via road or rail routes through neighbouring states such as Assam, Manipur or Tripura, possibly disguising themselves as Indian citizens.
Officials added that there is no confirmed evidence yet to substantiate claims that the foreigners imparted weapons or drone training in Myanmar, stating that “the allegations are yet to be confirmed.”
