Amit Shah reviews Manipur security situation
Meeting discusses new areas of Kuki-Naga conflict, border fencing and fresh influx of refugees
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Context
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Manipur following a renewed surge in violence and the recent revocation of President's Rule. The meeting focused on emerging conflicts between Kuki and Naga communities, the progress of border fencing along the India-Myanmar border, revisions to the Free Movement Regime (FMR), and the influx of refugees. This highlights the complex, multi-dimensional nature of the ongoing crisis in the Northeast.
UPSC Perspectives
Security
The Manipur crisis represents a severe breakdown of Internal Security, demonstrating how local ethnic conflicts can rapidly escalate and draw in transnational elements. Initially a conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, the violence has now metastasized to involve the Naga community, indicating a deeply entrenched ethnic fracture. The involvement of insurgent groups and the recovery of looted police weaponry highlight a significant challenge to the state's monopoly on violence. UPSC candidates must analyze this from the perspective of Border Management. The porous 1,643-km India-Myanmar border facilitates the illegal movement of arms, drugs, and insurgents. The central government's decision to fence the entire border (at a cost of ₹31,000 crore) is a strategic shift to enhance border integrity and curb these illicit flows, addressing a long-standing vulnerability in India's eastern frontier.
Polity
This situation offers a complex case study in Federalism and the application of emergency provisions. The article notes that 40 people have died since was revoked and the elected government was restored. , imposed under of the Constitution, is used when there is a 'failure of constitutional machinery' in a state. Its revocation implies a return to normal federal functioning, where the state government (under the Chief Minister) is primarily responsible for law and order (a State List subject). However, the Union Home Minister's active role in reviewing security, involving central forces like the , , and , underscores the overlapping responsibilities in maintaining national security. This dynamic illustrates cooperative federalism under stress, where the Centre must intervene or assist a state struggling to maintain public order without completely overriding its autonomy. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the constitutional limits and practical necessities of central intervention in state-level crises.
International Relations
The regional geopolitical context is crucial for understanding the domestic fallout. The ongoing civil war in Myanmar directly impacts India's security calculus. The influx of refugees from Myanmar into Manipur exacerbates existing ethnic tensions and strains local resources. A key element discussed in the meeting was the . Historically, the allowed tribes living along the border to travel up to 16 km into either country without visas, acknowledging shared ethnic and cultural ties. However, security concerns regarding insurgent sanctuaries and smuggling have led to a revision of the in 2024, reducing the limit to 10 km, and prompting the broader fencing initiative. This reflects a shift in India's Neighbourhood First Policy, where domestic security imperatives are now taking precedence over historical cross-border social arrangements, demanding a delicate balance between humanitarian concerns and border security.