Sanctioning of ₹31,000 Crore for Myanmar Border Fencing

Syllabus: GS3/ Internal Security

Context

• The Union government has approved the construction of border fencing and roads along the border between India and Myanmar at an approximate cost of ₹31,000 crore.

International Border of India

• India currently has more than 15000 km of land borders and more than 7500 km of maritime borders. 

• It shares land borders with seven countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The borders with the countries are as;
  • Bangladesh: 4096.70 kms running along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
  • Pakistan: 3323 kms running along Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.
  • China: 3488 kms running along Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh.
  • Nepal: 1751 kms running along Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.
  • Bhutan: 699 kms running along Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Myanmar:  1643 kms running along Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
  • Afghanistan: 106 kms running along the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Need for Managing the Borders

• Porosity of Borders: Many parts of India’s borders are porous, allowing illegal crossings of people, goods, and contraband such as drugs and weapons.
• Ethnic and Tribal Dynamics: India’s border regions are inhabited by diverse ethnic and tribal communities with historical, cultural, and social ties across borders.
  • Managing these communities’ aspirations, addressing their grievances, and preventing their exploitation by external forces require nuanced approaches to border management.
• Dispute over Borders: India has unresolved border disputes with neighboring countries, most notably with China and Pakistan.
  • These disputes lead to occasional tensions and confrontations, necessitating constant vigilance and diplomatic efforts to maintain peace and stability along the borders.
• Infrastructure Development: Many border areas in India lack basic infrastructure such as roads, communication networks, and border outposts, hampering the effectiveness of border management efforts.
• Humanitarian Concerns: India shares borders with countries experiencing political instability, humanitarian crises, and refugee influxes.

India’s border management

• Border Infrastructure Development: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed over 8,500 kms of roads and more than 400 permanent bridges.
  • Atal Tunnel, Sela Tunnel and Shikun-La Tunnel, which is going to be the world’s highest tunnel, will prove to be milestones in border area development.
  • Trans-Arunachal Highway is a strategic project to enable quick and effective response against potential aggression by China.
• Border Monitoring: Construction of fences, floodlights, roads, Border Out Posts (BOPs), and Company Operating Bases (COBs) for constant surveillance and rapid response to threats.
• Security Measures: Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), guard borders in peacetime.
  • The Indian Army takes charge of border security during active hostilities to defend against external aggression.

• Border Area Development Programme (BADP): Launched in 1986-87 for the balanced development of border areas in states/U.T. bordering Pakistan—Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan—later extended to all land borders.
• Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP): Approved in 2023 for the comprehensive development of selected border villages in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh.
• Cross-Border Trade: Construction of integrated checkposts and trade facilitation centers has streamlined customs clearance and reduced trade barriers.

Way Ahead

• India’s evolving approach to border management is a mix of security measures, infrastructure development, and strategic cooperation with its neighbors. 
• The continuous development of border regions, enhanced surveillance, and improved trade facilities reflect the country’s commitment to ensuring national security while fostering regional prosperity.

Source: TH