India and Myanmar are discussing unresolved stretches of their boundary, but the MEA has not formally confirmed reports of a proposed territorial exchange in Manipur. The reported land-swap plan has triggered opposition from COCOMI, which says Manipur’s territorial integrity cannot be compromised without public consent.
India-Myanmar Land Swap? MEA Confirms Border Talks
New Delhi: Reports that India may exchange a small area of territory with Myanmar to settle an undemarcated section of the international border have sparked political concern in Manipur.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged that discussions were underway regarding unsettled border sectors. However, he stopped short of confirming that the government had approved or formally proposed a land swap.
“There are certain areas on the border which are yet to be settled. Discussions on those sectors are ongoing,” Jaiswal said while responding to questions about the reported proposal. The statement confirms continuing boundary negotiations but does not establish that any transfer of territory has been finalised.
Reported Proposal Covers Manipur Border Sector
The reported proposal concerns an unresolved stretch between boundary pillars 65 and 68 in Manipur’s Chandel district, close to Myanmar’s Kabaw Valley. Reports suggest that officials have examined an exchange involving approximately 1.4 square miles of territory to complete demarcation in the Molcham sector.
The section between the pillars is around 2.8 kilometres long. Any proposed adjustment would reportedly involve erecting auxiliary or replacement boundary pillars based on a mutually accepted alignment.
However, the MEA has not publicly confirmed the reported area, exchanged territory or timeline. The proposal should therefore be treated as under discussion rather than an approved agreement.
Border Demarcation Linked to Security Plans
India and Myanmar share a 1,643-kilometre border passing through Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. The mountainous and forested frontier cuts across communities with longstanding ethnic, cultural and family connections on both sides.
Resolving undemarcated stretches could help the Centre proceed with fencing and surveillance projects intended to restrict insurgent movement, illegal immigration, weapons trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
In February 2024, the Home Ministry announced its decision to end the Free Movement Regime, which had permitted eligible border residents to travel limited distances across the frontier without regular visas. The government linked the decision to security and demographic concerns in the northeastern states.
Manipur Group Opposes Territorial Exchange
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity has warned the Centre against surrendering any part of the state’s territory. The organisation said it would not remain a silent spectator if reports of a land exchange were accurate and implemented.
COCOMI described Manipur’s territorial integrity as non-negotiable and demanded transparency from both the Union government and the state administration. It also argued that no decision affecting the state’s geographical boundaries should be taken without consulting its people.
Final Agreement Yet to Be Confirmed
India has maintained that it does not have a wider territorial dispute with Myanmar and that the remaining concerns involve specific unsettled boundary pillars requiring bilateral demarcation.
Territorial exchanges are not unprecedented in India’s diplomatic history. India and Bangladesh implemented a Land Boundary Agreement in 2015 to exchange enclaves and resolve a decades-old border problem. However, any comparable arrangement involving Manipur would likely require careful legal, political and local consultation. Negotiations over unsettled sectors are confirmed, but an India-Myanmar territorial exchange has not been officially approved or announced.
