42,000 Myanmar nationals mapped since December 2024: Assam Rifles

GUWAHATI

Some 42,000 people from Myanmar entering India through specific points along the 1,643 km border between the two countries have been mapped since December 2024, the paramilitary Assam Rifles said in a statement on Thursday (August 21, 2025).

These Myanmar nationals primarily stay temporarily in four northeastern States — Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland — and return to their country according to the provisions of the revised Free Movement Regime (FMR) policy, it said.

The statement followed a video of Assam Rifles Director General, Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera, speaking at a seminar at Manipur University on Wednesday (August 20). The video was shared by former Manipur Chief Minister, Nongthombam Biren Singh, with a caption claiming these 42,000 “outsiders” had entered Manipur.

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The Assam Rifles stated that the Director General’s speech was being misrepresented. It quoted Lt. Gen. Lakhera as saying: “After the new FMR policy came into effect, the Myanmar nationals entering India through crossing points are now being mapped. Since December, 42,000 individuals have been mapped with the help of biometrics and various measures instituted by all government agencies concerned. The data is being shared with all government agencies.”

Brought into place in 1968 due to ethnic and familial relations between people on either side of the border, the territorial limit of free travel for the border residents was reduced from 40 k.m. to 16 k.m. in 2004. The distance was further reduced to 10 km from the border less than a year ago.