2014 · GS Paper 3 · Q18 · 12 marks
How does illegal transborder migration pose a threat to India's security? Discuss the strategies to curb this, bringing out the factors which give impetus to such migration.
In short
Illegal transborder migration threatens India through demographic strain, ethnic violence, terror modules and organised crime, driven by poverty, conflict, kinship and porous terrain. Assam's 2019 NRC left out about 19 lakh people, and smart fencing, the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Act and diplomacy are the main remedies.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 288 words
Illegal migration across the porous Bangladesh border and the Myanmar border has reshaped politics in India's east. In Sarbananda Sonowal (2005), the Supreme Court called the influx into Assam "external aggression" under Article 355.
How Illegal Migration Threatens Security
1. Demographic strain: Rapid change triggered the Assam Movement (1979-85) and the Nellie massacre (1983), and the 2019 NRC left out about 19 lakh people. 2. Ethnic violence: Land competition erupted in the Bodo-Muslim clashes in Kokrajhar (2012). 3. Terror and crime: The Burdwan blast (2014) exposed a Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh module, and the same routes carry human trafficking, cattle and arms smuggling and fake notes.
Conflict next door
After Myanmar's 2021 coup, India hosts over 95,600 displaced people, mainly in Mizoram and Manipur (UNHCR, 2025).
Political patronage
Vote-bank politics and fake ration cards and voter IDs make settlement easy.
Smart fencing
CIBMS sensors such as BOLD-QIT at Dhubri (2019) plug riverine gaps on the Brahmaputra that no fence can close.
Legal process
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and Foreigners Tribunals enable detection with due process.
Diplomacy and development
The Land Boundary Agreement (2015), joint patrols with Bangladesh and the Vibrant Villages Programme deter crossings.
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2014 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.