MHA asks Assam Rifles to share list of villages in Myanmar; facial recognition planned to track border residents

Sub : Geo

Sec: Indian geography

Context:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has instructed the Assam Rifles to compile a list of Myanmar villages within 10 km of the Indian border to track entries into India.
Face-recognition systems and biometric data collection will be implemented at 43 newly identified checkpoints along the 1,643-km border.
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) will set up a portal to generate border passes and maintain a database for tracking entries, exits, and overstays.

Assam Rifles’ Role and Limitations:

The Assam Rifles is India’s oldest paramilitary force, established in 1835 as the Cachar Levy. It has played a significant role in maintaining security, particularly in the northeastern region of India.
Structure and Control
- Administrative Control: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- Operational Control: Indian Army.
Historical Significance:
- Originally raised to protect British tea estates and settlements from tribal uprisings in Assam.
- Participated in both World Wars and numerous internal security operations post-independence.

Changes in Movement Regime:

The Free Movement Regime (FMR), established in 1968, allowed free movement within 16 km on either side of the border without passports or visas.
New guidelines with QR code-enabled passes now regulate border movement, though FMR suspension hasn’t been formally ordered.
The border pass is valid for seven days and allows entry for purposes such as visiting relatives, tourism, business, sports, medical treatment, border trade, and cultural exchanges.

Refugee Crisis and Security Measures:

Since the 2021 Myanmar coup, over 40,000 Chin refugees have sought shelter in Mizoram and Manipur due to intensified armed conflict in Myanmar.
State police in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur will conduct security checks at the places of stay of Myanmar residents.