The Indian government has drawn a firm deadline to bring lasting peace to its troubled Northeast region, with 2029 set as the target year to decisively end decades-long insurgency, according to a report by The Hindustan Times.
Manipur, which has been at the epicentre of ethnic violence and armed conflict, has been identified as the priority in this ambitious security overhaul.
Senior government officials, as cited by the daily, indicated that a structured, phased approach is being adopted, one that combines intensified counter-insurgency operations with renewed push for peace talks and socio-economic development.
The report indicated that the Centre is looking to redeploy forces that have been operating in Left Wing Extremism-affected regions, channelling them instead toward insurgency-hit northeastern states such as Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland, with the overall mission set to be accomplished by 2029.
According to the report, this realignment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is expected to get underway once the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections have concluded.
Manipur’s selection as the first focus area comes as no surprise. The state has endured over two years of devastating ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, leaving hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced. Armed groups continue to operate in the hill districts, complicating both civilian life and governance.
Security forces have ramped up operations in recent months, conducting targeted drives against militant hideouts along the Myanmar border.
Officials believe that resolving Manipur’s crisis could serve as a template for the broader Northeast. States like Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur’s hill districts have long harboured armed outfits, many of which have been engaged in fragile ceasefire agreements that have yielded limited results.
The 2029 goal signals a shift from an open-ended engagement to a time-bound political and military resolution.
Manipur in crisis
Manipur has not known true peace since May 2023, when ethnic clashes erupted between the valley-dwelling Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo tribes over an affirmative action dispute.
Hundreds have been killed, and thousands displaced. Manipur, over the past three years, has seen several houses burn.
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, accused of stoking the violence, resigned in February 2025 after 20 months of unrest, with no senior official or militia leader successfully prosecuted. President’s Rule followed, but little changed on the ground.
A new government took charge in February 2026. Within weeks, however, the violence returned.
On April 7, a rocket-like projectile struck a home in Bishnupur’s Tronglaobi village at 1 AM, killing two sleeping children and critically injuring their mother.
Protests turned violent across the valley. Days later, suspected militants ambushed vehicles on National Highway-202 in Ukhrul, killing two Naga civilians, including a retired soldier.