Imphal, July 1: The Assam Rifles, in collaboration with civil administration and Manipur police, has initiated a joint campaign for the identification, verification, and biometric registration of displaced Myanmar citizens in the border district of Kamjong, Manipur.
Defense spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mahendra Rawat stated that this initiative is a significant step toward enhancing border administration and management while ensuring controlled humanitarian assistance for displaced individuals. The Kamjong district in eastern Manipur shares an unfenced international border with Myanmar.
Lieutenant Colonel Rawat noted that extensive documentation efforts have been carried out in the villages of Faikoh, Shangkhallok, and Aloyo, where displaced Myanmar citizens have temporarily taken refuge due to ongoing unrest in their home country.
Under the directives of the district administration, a joint team of 40 civil officials, police personnel, medical staff, and Assam Rifles members meticulously verified the identities of the displaced individuals, recorded biometric data, and documented their demographic profiles.
The spokesperson mentioned, “Approximately 500 individuals were successfully included in this exercise across the three targeted locations, creating a certified and centralized database for administrative planning and security monitoring.”
According to officials, the verification campaign is the second phase of ‘Operation Anchor.’ This systematic civil-military initiative aims to balance national security needs with controlled humanitarian oversight along the sensitive India-Myanmar border (IMB).
The current initiative builds directly on the achievements of the first phase, which primarily focused on strengthening physical border security through improved electronic monitoring, intensified patrolling, and targeted fencing to prevent illegal cross-border movement and uncontrolled infiltration.
Lieutenant Colonel Rawat explained that as the operation progresses to the second phase, the focus has shifted from border security to ensuring accountability within internal corridors, where comprehensive records of individuals seeking temporary refuge are being maintained.
He emphasized that the establishment of a secure biometric database will eliminate anonymity, assist civil administration in delivering medical and humanitarian aid transparently, and provide reliable records for the central and state governments to make informed policy decisions regarding border administration and internal security.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government has already conducted biometric enrollment for Myanmar’s displaced citizens in several districts of the state. In the neighboring state of Mizoram, authorities have completed biometric enrollment for over 98% of approximately 28,355 Myanmar citizens (including women and children) who have settled in 11 districts since the military coup in February 2021.
Following the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mizoram has been conducting biometric enrollment for both Myanmar and Bangladeshi refugees through the ‘Foreigners Identification Portal’ and ‘Biometric Enrollment System’ since July 2025.
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