India has initiated the deportation of numerous Myanmar nationals who sought refuge amid escalating conflict between the ruling junta and rebel forces along the border region, revealed a top state official on Friday.

N. Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur state, which shares its borders with Myanmar, announced the commencement of the deportation process via a social media post on platform X, although specific numbers were not provided.

According to a confidential government order obtained by AFP, 77 Myanmar nationals, including 51 women and five children, were scheduled for repatriation between March 8 and 11.

Singh emphasized India's humanitarian approach towards those fleeing the Myanmar crisis, despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Thousands of civilians have sought refuge in India's remote northeastern state of Manipur amid the intensifying conflict in Myanmar, with Singh sharing a video showcasing the departure of mostly women and children to their homeland.

This deportation initiative comes in the wake of the Indian government's recent call for an immediate termination of a free movement border agreement with Myanmar, which permitted residents in border areas to cross into each other's territories without visas.

India is also in the process of erecting a 1,643-kilometer-long (1,020-mile) fence along the porous border with Myanmar, traversing remote jungles and snow-capped Himalayan peaks.

Many individuals residing in the border regions, particularly in Manipur, share close cultural and religious bonds with Myanmar's populace. However, communal tensions within Manipur have resulted in over 200 casualties since last May, primarily between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community.

A significant portion of those seeking refuge in India from Myanmar share ethnic affiliations with the Kukis. Areas near the Indian border have witnessed frequent clashes following an attack by Arakan Army (AA) fighters on security forces in November, ending a ceasefire that had been in place since the military coup in 2021.

Among those fleeing Myanmar to seek safety in India are hundreds of soldiers who have crossed the border to escape the ongoing conflict.

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