NEW DELHI: In response to the escalating security concerns in Myanmar‘s Rakhine state, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) of India issued a
travel
advisory on Tuesday, urging the
citizens
to refrain from traveling to the region.
The advisory highlights the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and a severe scarcity of essential commodities in Rakhine state.
The MEA strongly recommended that all Indian citizens avoid traveling to Rakhine State until further notice.
Furthermore, for those Indian citizens already present in Rakhine state, the MEA advised an immediate departure from the area. The advisory emphasizes the importance of heeding this recommendation in light of the challenging circumstances on the ground.
“In view of the deteriorating security situation, disruption of means of telecommunications, including landlines, and severe scarcity of essential commodities, all Indian citizens are advised not to travel to the Rakhine State of Myanmar,” MEA said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Union home minister Amit Shah announced that India has decided to fence the entire 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border. The move could virtually put an end to the Free Movement Regime (FMR) prevalent along the porous border.
The FMR allows people residing close to the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 km into each other’s territory without any document.
The 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, which passes through Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, currently has FMR. It was introduced in 2018 as part of India’s Act East policy.
In a post on X, Shah said the Narendra Modi government is committed to building impenetrable borders. “It has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border. To facilitate better surveillance, a patrol track along the border will also be paved,” he said.
