On Friday, India deported the first batch of Myanmar nationals alleged to have entered India illegally, reportedly in the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar military coup.
Announced by N. Biren Singh, Chief Minister of the Indian state of Manipur that shares a border with Myanmar, the deportations will occur systematically. “The number is huge, so we cannot deport them altogether at one time. So part by part, we are deporting, and there are some legal procedures that we have to follow”, Singh said during a press interaction.
Despite India not adhering to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it has provided shelter and assistance to those fleeing the Myanmar crisis on humanitarian grounds. However, with this recent decision, the Indian authorities seem to be following the procedures laid down by the nation’s National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The NRC is a list maintained by the Indian government that identifies Indian citizens residing in the state of Assam, and aims to identify illegal immigrants. According to the local publication, Imphal Free Press, the first group of deportees consisted of seven individuals who were deported from Manipur’s capital to the border town of Moreh on Friday morning.
Further aligning with the country’s stringent border policy, India’s Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, announced in February the discontinuation of the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR). The FMR previously permitted unrestricted movement between the two countries. Citing this decision as crucial for the consolidation of internal security and the preservation of the demographic structure of India’s northeastern states, Shah said that it complies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to securing borders.
The Indian government’s upcoming plans include the construction of a fence along the 1,643-kilometer India-Myanmar border and establishing a patrol pathway for enhanced surveillance. Post this construction, Myanmar nationals will need visas to enter India either through the designated border points or by air.
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