India to fence border with Myanmar

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has said India will fence the border with conflict-hit neighbor Myanmar.

The federal government has decided that the entire India-Myanmar border will be fenced on the same lines as the India-Bangladesh border, he said on Saturday.

Speaking during an event in the northeastern state of Assam, Shah said the government is rethinking the free movement agreement with Myanmar, which will be ended.

India shares a 1,643 kilometers (1,020 miles) long border with Myanmar which passes through several states.

A free movement regime exists between the two countries, according to which, citizens from the two countries, living within 16 kilometers (around 10 miles) on both sides of the border can cross the border on the production of border passes.

Thousands of people from Myanmar, which is entangled in an internal ethnic conflict, have so far crossed into the Indian side, seeking refuge. Other than the civilians, soldiers too have entered India.