Around 4,000 Myanmar citizens cross into India amid fierce fighting between rival Chin armed groups near the border
Mizoram, India – July 7, 2025 — Escalating clashes between rival ethnic armed groups in Myanmar Chin State have forced nearly 4,000 civilians to flee across the border into India’s northeastern Mizoram state over the past four days, Indian officials confirmed Monday.
According to Mizoram Home Secretary Vanlalmawia, many of the displaced civilians have sought shelter with relatives in India, while others are being accommodated in local community halls.
“Many of the people have relatives on the Indian side, so they are staying with them,” Vanlalmawia told AFP. “Others are being housed in community halls.”
Fighting Erupts Between Anti-Junta Forces
The infighting is reportedly between Chin rebel groups, both of whom oppose Myanmar’s military junta, yet are now locked in a violent power struggle over control of the region known as Chinland.
A senior Mizoram police official, speaking anonymously, said:
“Approximately 4,000 people have come in the last four days. The situation on the other side of the border remains tense, so we have not asked them to return.”
Mizoram Already Hosting Over 30,000 Myanmar Refugees
Mizoram, which shares a 510-km porous border with Myanmar, is already sheltering more than 30,000 refugees who fled since the military coup in 2021. The new influx is expected to further strain local resources.
The refugees are crossing via forested border routes, many on foot, as the Myanmar civil war intensifies.
India’s Silence on Myanmar’s Military Junta Under Scrutiny
Despite the humanitarian crisis, India has avoided condemning Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, choosing instead to maintain diplomatic ties as a strategic move to counter China’s regional influence.
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