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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.
About Porous border
- Definition: Porous border refers to border areas not protected enough to stop people going through. It could be both open (unfenced) and closed (fenced).
- Current status
- 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).
