FMR Along the India-Myanmar Border | 15 Feb 2025
The revised Free Movement Regime (FMR) has led to the activation of 22 border gates out of the 43 planned crossing points along the India-Myanmar border, aimed at regulating movement while maintaining border security.
- India's 1,643-km border with Myanmar runs through Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km). 1,472 km of the border has been demarcated.
- FMR: Introduced in 1968 to facilitate movement due to ethnic and familial ties across the largely unfenced northeastern border.
- The free movement limit was reduced from 40 km to 16 km in 2004 and is now 10 km.
- Border residents can travel without a visa or passport but require a QR code-enabled border pass. Biometric data is recorded and uploaded to a centralized portal to check against a negative list.
- Assam Rifles responsible for issuing border passes and conducting initial security verification. Border pass validity is up to 7 days.
- Assam Rifles: Oldest paramilitary force in India, established in 1835. Evolved from protecting British Tea estates to maintaining internal security in the Northeast and guarding the Indo-Myanmar Border.
- Assam Rifles played key roles in the Sino-India War (1962), and were known as 'Sentinel of the North East' and 'Friend of the Hill People'.
- Headquarters: Directorate General of Assam Rifles in Shillong.
Read more: Free Movement Regime