India will spend 3.7 billion dollars to build a fence on the Myanmar border

Last Updated on March 28, 2024 4:26 am

Md Khayrul Bashar, Senior Reporter:

India plans to spend about $3.7 billion on fencing the 1,610 km long border with Myanmar.

According to a source close to the matter, the news agency Reuters said that it will take a decade to complete the construction of the fence.

Earlier this year, Delhi announced it would end its decades-old visa-free travel policy with Myanmar and build a fence along the border with the internally volatile neighbour. Explaining the reason for this, the central government of India said that they have taken this decision in the interest of the safety and national security of their citizens living in the border areas and to maintain the geological infrastructure of the northeastern region.

Earlier this month, a committee of the Indian government approved the cost of building the border fence, according to Reuters. Now just waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet approval.

India’s Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Finance, External Affairs and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were contacted to inquire about this, but no response was received from any of them.

So far, no statement has been received from the Myanmar junta government regarding the Indian government’s plans to build a border fence.

In February 2021, the country’s army seized power in Myanmar after overthrowing the elected government in a coup. Since then, Myanmar troops have been fighting with various regional separatist and rebel groups in different states of the country. Rebels have also captured several areas and towns in the past few months of fighting.