In a move that could have significant diplomatic repercussions, Mizoram’s Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena has invited Myanmar’s Chinland Council to consider joining India, citing Myanmar’s political instability and the deep ethnic ties between the Chin and Mizo communities.

Vanlalvena, who belongs to the Mizo National Front (MNF), recently visited the headquarters of the Chinland Council and Camp Victoria of the Chin National Front Army—the armed wing of the Chin movement—which controls large parts of northwestern Myanmar bordering India.

Advertisement

The visit comes amid a power vacuum in Myanmar, where the Chinland Council has been managing border areas for the past six months in the absence of an effective government.

Speaking to mediapersons, Vanlalvena revealed that he undertook the journey on foot from Mizoram into Myanmar after informing Mizoram Governor V K Singh and the Assam Rifles. He emphasised that his visit was unofficial, aimed at fostering “friendship and brotherhood” with the Chin leadership.

“Myanmar is in chaos after the military coup, and many ethnic groups, including the Chin, are governing their own territories. Since the Chin people are our kin, I extended an invitation for them to consider joining India. Sometimes they need us, and sometimes we need them—we are the same tribe,” Vanlalvena stated.

When asked whether he sought approval from India’s central government, the MP clarified, “It was a private visit. I have already informed the Governor and the Assam Rifles. Once I return to Delhi, I will brief the Home Minister and the External Affairs Minister about the meeting.”

The Chin people, who share strong ethnic and cultural ties with the Mizos, have been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict in Myanmar following the February 2021 coup. In the aftermath of the military takeover, ethnic insurgent groups—such as the Chin National Army—seized control of areas previously held by the junta.

Mizoram has provided refuge to over 40,000 displaced Chin-Kuki-Zo people, with the MNF-led state government extending humanitarian support despite India’s official stance of non-intervention. However, Vanlalvena’s proposal for Chinland to join India raises serious diplomatic concerns, as Myanmar’s junta has previously accused India of harboring rebel groups along the border.

India and Myanmar share a 1,643 km porous border, spanning Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Under the Free Movement Regime (FMR), border residents have historically been allowed to travel up to 10 km into either country without a visa. However, in December 2024, the Indian government announced restrictions on border movement, reducing the earlier 16 km limit in response to security concerns.

Given Myanmar’s deteriorating situation and increasing refugee influx, New Delhi faces a complex challenge—balancing humanitarian aid, security interests, and diplomatic ties with Myanmar’s military rulers. Vanlalvena’s remarks, if pursued officially, could escalate tensions between the two nations, particularly as Myanmar’s junta continues to struggle against ethnic resistance groups along the border.

—————–