The Chins migrating to India are variously labeled “refugees,” “economic migrants,” “illegal foreigners” and “stateless.” This essay attempts to understand how the borders drawn following the independence of India and Burma from British rule have transformed the relationship between the Chins and the Mizos in contemporary times. This is important in the context of shared ethnic ties and the belief in common descent as well as the political, economic and social factors that affected their relationship. Further this essay also attempts to explore the existing perceptions about Chins and how their migration can feed into the immigration and/or refugee policy in India.