Authorities in India’s northeastern state of Manipur have turned back or deported nearly 15,000 Myanmar nationals fleeing ongoing armed conflict, according to official statements presented to the state legislature.
Speaking in the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Sept. 7, State Minister Konthoujam Govindas revealed that out of 24,475 Myanmar nationals who crossed into the border districts of Chandel, Kamjong, and Tengnoupal, 14,992 were rejected or returned across the border.
Around 9,483 displaced individuals currently remain in temporary shelter camps across the state.
A breakdown of the district figures shows that Chandel District turned away 9,600 of its 14,370 entrants, while Kamjong District rejected 4,770 out of 6,545.
In Tengnoupal District, authorities turned back 14 of 3,560 entrants.
India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, and Manipur's official policy classifies those fleeing Myanmar as “illegal immigrants” rather than refugees. State authorities are working to collect biometric data from camp residents, though border instability has delayed the process, with only 1,308 individuals registered in Chandel so far.
“We came to seek shelter temporarily during our time of crisis,” a displaced Myanmar man in Manipur told news outlet Mizzima. “If our country becomes peaceful again, we will return immediately. It’s not as if we are living here in comfort.”
The push to deport Myanmar nationals is largely driven by Manipur's majority Meitei community. In contrast, the border-dwelling Kuki and Zo communities—who share close ethnolinguistic ties with populations in Myanmar—have provided aid, shelter, and protection to the displaced.
To prevent refugees from blending into the local population, Manipur has proposed using 1951 as the base year for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) and is awaiting authorization from New Delhi. Meanwhile, individuals caught without valid travel documents face prosecution; nearly 100 Myanmar nationals who refuse deportation due to safety fears remain held at Imphal Central Jail.
The deportations come as India accelerates work on a 1,643-kilometer (1,020-mile) fence along its border with Myanmar to curb illegal migration and drug trafficking. About 55 kilometers of Manipur's 398-kilometer border segment have been constructed, with full completion targeted for 2028.
