Rohingya are Myanmar’s Muslim minority, residing in Western Myanmar province of Rakhine. Rohingya have long been considered “Bengalis” of Bangladesh in Buddhist-majority Myanmar even though their families have lived in the country for generations.

India is home to about 40,000 Rohingya refugees. Of these approximately 16,000 are registered with the UN Refugee Agency. While the United Nations has called upon the Indian government to provide Rohingya with the necessary protection, India maintains that they are a threat to its national security and have links with international terror groups.   India has so far refused to exert any pressure on Myanmar. In India, the term ‘Rohingya’ is not used in public statements or documents. Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 further cleared the government’s stand, it provided that : The Bill aims to amend the 1955 Citizenship Act, to provide citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who are of Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Parsi or Christian.

Later home minister had asked all state governments to identify and collect the biometric details of all Rohingya refugees living in India. India deported a few Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar in October 2018 by handing over them to Myanmar authorities. Supreme Court also denied acting against this step. Most recently India has abstained from voting on a resolution backed by Bangladesh in United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC), criticizing the Myanmar government over its dealing with Rohingya crisis. It has displeased the Bangladeshi government.   

Indian Government has been trying it''s hard to force Rohingya out of the country because

• They are being considered as a security threat to the country, given the intelligence of their rumoured links with Pakistan’s ISI.
• They will be consuming the resources meant for citizens of India, for whom the government is constitutionally bound to act.
• They may provide fuel to the radicalization in India.  

Despite being a non-signatory to the Refugee Convention 1951 or its 1967 protocol, India is bound by the principle of non-refoulement. Principle of Non-Refoulement is binding on all UN member states. Under article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, anyone can seek asylum in another country from persecution.

 India is concerned that raising the issue publicly might push Myanmar towards China. China has entered in almost all neighbouring countries of India.

• India also has economic interests with its companies’ holding stakes in Shwe Gas field off the coast of Rakhine State.
• India also has a connectivity interest to link its landlocked northeastern region with the Bay of Bengal through Rakhine State under a joint project with Myanmar that includes port at Sittwe, Kaladan River and road construction in North-East.
• India is suffering from cross-border ethnic insurgency from Myanmar based militants, thus it requires the support of the Myanmar military to deal with them.

Implications of India''s stand on the issue

1. The present way of India in handling the Rohingya crisis has raised questions on its democratic credentials.
2. India’s reservations in taking the lead may have already undermined its regional and global leadership aspirations.
3. The concentration of thousands of desperate people in the neighbourhood could create a fertile breeding ground for radicalization.
4. Taking a hard position towards the Rohingya refugees makes India a potential target of radical groups.

Road ahead

• Firstly, India needs to ensure that no Rohingya refugee in India is deported back to Myanmar until it is safe to do so.
• On the other hand, basic amenities must be ensured in refugee camps.
• Like any nation, India has the right to prioritise its national security. However, security concerns need to take into account the comprehensive long-term consequences.
• Moreover, given its historical bent towards protecting refugees, India must rise to the occasion and demonstrate that it is not driven solely by narrow domestic political interests.
• Using the geo-economic leverage that it enjoys with Myanmar, India could compel Myanmar to bring the alleged perpetrators of war crimes to book or at least get a guarantee that such conduct would not be repeated in the future.