Description
The Political Economy of securitisation and militarisation in Post-Colonial states reveals that borders are not just for security, it represent the contested space of power, economy, and identity. The border region between India and Myanmar has a distinct and intricate geopolitical makeup defined by centuries-old historical ties, economic interdependence, political ambitions, and intercultural exchanges. This intricate fabric has experienced some degree of disturbance due to the post-colonial partition. The paper examines the India-Myanmar border through the prism of post-colonialism, inherited challenges of state-building and contemporary security practices.
Borders inherited from the British, the region has fragmented ethnic communities such as Nagas, Kukis, and Mizos, creating cross-border kinship networks that challenge the rigid state boundary. Empirically, the research will be based on three focal points: (i) Examining the securitisation of the borders, (ii) economic ramifications of infrastructure initiatives such as fencing projects, and (iii) the State-building function of the border regime. Under these focal points, the paper will investigate the nature of the Indo-Myanmar border, how it has been perceived through the lens of the political economy of securitisation, and the militarisation of the colonial-inherited border.
The militarisation of the border through fencing, deployment of armed forces, and new surveillance technology has produced a political economy of security, where state expenditure, infrastructure development, and informal cross-border economies generate both opportunities and tensions. Exploring the evolution of India's border policies from colonial era demarcation to contemporary securitisation, the study will employ mixed-method approach based on empirical data, archival records, and policy papers. The analysis will integrate the state-building strategy in post-colonial nations, borderlands' political economy, and post-colonial theory.
