External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said the Centre decided to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) because the government gives top priority to the country’s security.

He said this while speaking to reporters after releasing the BJP manifesto in Aizawl.

Thousands of people from Myanmar have taken refuge in various north-eastern states, especially in Mizoram, after fleeing their country following a military coup in February 2021.

“I think the security of our country, security of our states, including Mizoram, require us to take certain precautions. But the precautions that we are taking right now are in response to a certain situation. Even right now our neighbour is going through a very difficult phase. If things were normal in Myanmar, this would not have happened,” Jaishankar said.

He said that the Centre is very sensitive to the interests of people, traditions, customs and relationships across the border.

“Right now it is important that we take that precaution. So we want people to understand that this is a response to a situation today,” he said, while talking about the proposed border fencing and the abolition of the Free Movement Regime (FRM).

The Centre in February decided to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and abolish the FMR between the two countries.