Assam Rifles has already clarified that 42,000 Myanmar nationals entering India since December are formally recorded under protocol, rejecting claims of “illegal entrants.”
BY PC Bureau
August 22, 2025: A day after sparking a controversy by “twisting” remarks of the Director General of Assam Rifles on arrivals from Myanmar, former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh returned to social media today with a more measured post on X, careful not to question the legitimacy of such visitors.
In his post, Biren Singh wrote: “Under the new FMR policy, the Assam Rifles have mapped around 42,000 Myanmar nationals who entered India through various border points since last December. Their entry has been recorded with the help of biometrics and verification measures along the Indo-Myanmar border. This is a positive step towards regulating the entry of foreign nationals, and it will also help in checking the abnormal population growth witnessed in Manipur in recent years.”
While Biren Singh avoided directly questioning Myanmar nationals fleeing the ongoing bloody conflict or crossing the border to visit their relatives, he once again implied that past arrivals contributed to a demographic shift in Manipur. This contrasts with his earlier claims: in a 2018 TV interview, he had stated there were no illegal migrants in Manipur. Even in a memorandum submitted to Governor A.K. Bhalla in May 2025, Singh referred to only 5,475 alleged illegal immigrants entering the state between 2017 and 2025.
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According to the 2011 Census, the Kuki-Zo tribal population in Manipur was roughly 500,000. Conservative estimates suggest this population has grown over the past 14 years in line with national and regional trends. Singh’s figure of 5,457 alleged illegal entrants between 2017 and 2025 represents about 1% of the 2011 Kuki-Zo population, likely far lower based on current numbers.
A controversy erupted on August 21 after Singh suggested that Lt. Gen. Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, DG of Assam Rifles, had confirmed the presence of “illegal entrants” during a speech at a function at Manipur University.
The Assam Rifles soon clarified that the 42,000 Myanmar nationals who entered Indian states since December were formally documented under the new Post-Free Movement Regime (FMR) protocol, rejecting claims that they are “illegal immigrants.”
Under the new FMR policy, the Assam Rifles have mapped around 42,000 Myanmar nationals who entered India through various border points since last December. Their entry has been recorded with the help of biometrics and verification measures along the Indo-Myanmar border. This is a… pic.twitter.com/3wamWtPSCr
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 22, 2025
In an official statement, Assam Rifles explained:
“After the new FMR policy came into effect, Myanmar nationals entering India through crossing points are being mapped. Since December, 42,000 individuals have been recorded using biometrics and verification measures by all concerned agencies. The data is being shared across government departments.”
The statement emphasized that these individuals temporarily stay in northeastern states—including Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur—and often return home under the provisions of the new policy. Government data shows Mizoram currently hosts around 33,000 Myanmar refugees, with an additional 6,000 arriving in July 2025 alone.
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The Free Movement Regime, which previously allowed visa-free travel within 16 km on either side of the Indo-Myanmar border, was scrapped in December 2024. Under the new post-FMR protocol, Myanmar residents must obtain certification from their village administration, submit biometrics at entry points, and secure a border pass for the intended duration of stay.
Singh’s follow-up post appears aimed at balancing political sensitivities while still hinting at concerns over population and demographic changes, reflecting the complex dynamics along the Indo-Myanmar border and ongoing tensions in Manipur.
