As homes burn across the border, tens of thousands of Myanmar refugees find fragile hope but not certainty in India’s Northeast.
Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, an estimated 65,000 refugees have fled to India’s North-East, escaping violence in Myanmar’s Chin State and Sagaing Region. Most have sought safety in Mizoram and Manipur, where ethnic and cultural ties with local communities have enabled temporary relief but not without rising social and political tensions.
Mizoram has emerged as the primary host, sheltering over 33,000 refugees. The state has taken a humanitarian stance, offering food, medical care, and education through support from local churches, civil society groups, and the Young Mizo Association (YMA). Despite limited resources, nearly 580 refugee children have been enrolled in local schools, although language remains a barrier as many are accustomed to Burmese or Chin scripts.
In contrast, Manipur hosts about 5,400 refugees, mainly in the border district of Kamjong. The response here has been more security-driven, with the state forming Special Task Forces (STFs) to identify and manage undocumented migrants. The central government has supported biometric registration efforts, with the Assam Rifles reporting 42,000 Myanmar nationals mapped since December 2024 under the Free Movement Regime.
Meanwhile, New Delhi has also seen a smaller wave of migration. According to a recent UNHCR report, approximately 6,800 refugees from Myanmar have registered with the agency in the capital. However, only a fraction have been granted official refugee status due to slow processing and the absence of a national asylum law.
India, which is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, lacks a clear legal framework for refugee protection, forcing state governments and NGOs to take the lead. While Mizoram has shown solidarity rooted in shared ethnicity, other regions have expressed concerns over demographic changes, narcotics trafficking, and border security.
Although some refugees have voluntarily returned to Myanmar, most remain in limbo caught between a violent homeland and uncertain refuge. Without sustained humanitarian aid and national policy reforms, their future remains deeply fragile.
