According to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Union Home Minister Amit Shah would meet with an all-party team to discuss the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar, a neighboring country. The action was taken in response to growing resentment among the Naga people over the central government’s decision to terminate the FMR, which has historically permitted cross-border travel for residents of the India-Myanmar border. On the fourth day of the current session, Rio addressed the state parliament and emphasized the importance of communicating the state’s position to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
He told the House that the delegation would formally express the Naga people’s displeasure over the FMR’s cancellation. Residents of the border regions can enter the other nation freely and visa-free up to 16 kilometers under the Free Movement Regime, which was introduced in 2018 as part of India’s Act East initiative. However, the union administration announced in January of last year that it intended to abolish the FMR. The new rules would only permit cross-border travel through 43 approved crossing sites, nine of which are in Nagaland, and will restrict it to people who live within 10 kilometers of the border.
Assam Rifles personnel will issue border passes, requiring state governments to deploy police and health officials at entry and exit points. Rio emphasized the importance of humanitarian concerns for Naga communities, who depend on cross-border travel for farming, education, and medical care. An all-party delegation to meet Amit Shah is proposed.
