There are reports that Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) have been using Myanmar territory for safe sanctuary. Manipur-based Meiti insurgent groups like People’s Liberation Army (PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK); Naga insurgent group like the National Socialist Council of Nagaland/Khaplang (NSCN/K) and United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) Anti-talk faction and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have their camps/hideouts in Myanmar Naga Hills (MNH).

The presence of IIGs in Myanmar has been the single most important security issue for India at every bilateral negotiations, i.e. National Level Meeting (NLM) at Home Secretary Level and Sectoral Level Meeting (SLM) at Joint Secretary Level held every year in pursuance of 1994 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Myanmar. Myanmar has always been assuring India that they will not allow their soil to be used by IIGs to carry out activities inimical to India. IIGs continue to use Myanmar territory notwithstanding Myanmar’s repeated assurances not to allow its territory for activities inimical to India.

In the recently held NLM between India and Myanmar at Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar) in January 2012 and SLM held at Kolkata in June 2012, the issue of continued presence of IIG groups in Myanmar was raised again and it has been assured by Myanmar to cooperate closely to address the Indian concerns.

As a result of regular National Level and Sectoral Level Meetings and follow-up of deliberations of NLM and SLM, Myanmar authorities have shown willingness to act against these militant groups and have started some operations against IIGs in Myanmar in recent times. This was stated by Mullappally Ramachandran, Minister of State for Home Affairs in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.