The vulnerability of the India-Myanmar border owing to difficult terrain, alienation of masses, poor administration, 16 Km Free Movement Regime at the Border is posing a serious challenge to the internal security of the country.
Challenges emanating from India Myanmar Border:
1. Narcotics and the ‘Golden Triangle’: Proximity to Myanmar in the ‘Golden Triangle’ makes the India-Myanmar border vulnerable to the trafficking of heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) produced in Myanmar.
2. Safe Haven for Insurgents to Rakhine state in Myanmar seen in ambush on Indian Army in 2015.
3. Protests against the construction of a border fence: Protestor believe that it would result in Manipur losing substantial portions of its territory to Myanmar.
4. Rohingya Issue: Influx of marginalised Muslim minority Rohingya community has raised a serious sociocultural confrontation in the areas due to increased burden on local resources.
5. Arms trafficking: While the bulk of the weapons from Thailand and Cambodia are smuggled through the sea route, some of them are also smuggled overland through the India-Myanmar border.
6. Security Forces: Assam Rifles had a responsibility of guarding the Indo-Myanmar border, but most of its battalions are engaged in counter-insurgency operations.
7. Infrastructural Facility at Border Check-Points: The infrastructure facilities at border check-points are not sufficient to meet the required challenge. Moreh-Zokhawater point has been declared as Integrated Check-Point (ICP) but nothing much has materialised on the ground.
Measures to be taken:
1. The dual responsibility of Assam Rifles to enforce AFSPA and Border management should be put to an end.
2. The North East region must be included in the India-ASEAN Vision for trade and cooperation. Development Plan for the North East should factor India-ASEAN strategic cooperation.
3. India should initiate a revision of the Free Movement Regime and reduce the permitted distance of unrestricted travel.
4. Complete the Trilateral Highway at the earliest.
The North East has been grippled under ethnic clashes, demand of different insurgent groups for the last 7 decades. The new territorial framework agreement gives a sigh of hope but everything depends on better administration and development of the North East.