Core Issue : 

The ethnic violence in Manipur, which erupted between the majority Meitei and tribal Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023, has increasingly acquired a new dimension with the involvement of the Naga community. The conflict has thus evolved from a predominantly Meitei–Kuki-Zo confrontation into a more complex three-way ethnic conflict, with at least 306 people reported killed and around 50 still missing¹.

The widening conflict is rooted in territorial anxieties and unresolved historical tensions. Following the 2023 violence, thousands of Kuki-Zo civilians were displaced and relocated to hill districts, where new settlements and infrastructure emerged in areas including Kangpokpi, Tamenglong and Noney. Sections of the Naga community viewed this expansion as encroachment on their ancestral lands, reviving longstanding territorial tensions between the two hill communities that had previously erupted into violent clashes during the 1990s.

Time Line : 

Important Facts : 

• In May 2023 Large-scale ethnic violence erupted had erupted in Manipur after a Tribal Solidarity March protesting the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community. Violence quickly spread between largely Valley-based Meitei and hill-based Kuki-Zo communities.
• The initial months witnessed killings, arson, looting, destruction of homes and places of worship, and widespread displacement. By August 2023, the Union government reported 152 deaths and more than 1,100 FIRs, while acknowledging the need for a Commission of Inquiry and a CBI investigation into selected cases.²
• Around 60,000 people have been displaced so far –with 7,894 houses completely destroyed and 2,646 partially destroyed.³
• Meitei and Kuki-Zo populations became increasingly concentrated in separate geographical areas, with the Imphal Valley and surrounding areas predominantly Meitei and several hill districts predominantly Kuki-Zo or Naga. This physical separation has made normal movement, return of displaced persons and political reconciliation considerably more difficult. 
• By 2024, the conflict had acquired a more conventional security dimension, with reports of drone-dropped explosives, rockets and attacks on security positions and villages. 
• After prolonged political and administrative instability, President’s Rule was imposed in February 2025 following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. 
• By December 2024, 3,023 cases had been registered in connection with the violence. Human Rights Watch reported that the 42 Supreme Court-directed SITs had filed charges in only about 6% of these cases at that point .⁴
• President’s Rule  was revoked on 4 February 2026, and Yumnam Khemchand Singh became Chief Minister. However, violence continued after the restoration of the elected government. 
• A significant development in 2026 was the escalation of Naga–Kuki-Zo tensions, particularly in the hill districts. The Naga–Kuki-Zo confrontation has been associated with competing claims over ancestral territory, settlements, roads and administrative boundaries. The new fault line is therefore not simply an extension of the original Meitei–Kuki conflict but has its own historical and territorial dimensions. 
• Highway blockades by Naga and Kuki-Zo groups disrupted the movement of food, fuel, medicines and other essential commodities, particularly affecting isolated communities. 

WHAT INDIA EXPECTS : 

A comprehensive and inclusive peace mechanism should bring together Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga representatives, along with women, youth, civil society and other stakeholders, recognising that lasting peace cannot emerge solely through negotiations between governments and armed groups. A structured institutional mechanism should address competing claims over land, forests, settlements, boundaries and natural resources, while an effective system should counter misinformation and hate narratives. Investigations into killings, sexual violence, arson, abductions and alleged security lapses must be impartial, credible and time-bound, complemented by truth-and-reconciliation forums, survivor support and sustained inter-community youth programmes to rebuild trust and social cohesion. 

1. TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Sep 03, 2026, 13:38 IST ;https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/manipur-violence-306-killed-49-missing-since-may-2023/articleshow/133729467.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com ↩︎
2. Press Release Page | Press Information Bureau Posted On: 09 AUG 2023 8:55PM by PIB Delhi https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1949528&lang=2&reg=48&utm_source ↩︎
3.  Over 58,800 people displaced by ethnic violence since May 2023: Manipur govt https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/india/2026/Apr/22/over-58800-people-displaced-by-ethnic-violence-since-may-2023-manipur-govt?utm_source=chatgpt.com  ↩︎
4.  India: Ethnic Clashes Restart in Manipur | Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/27/india-ethnic-clashes-restart-manipur?utm_source=chatgpt.com ↩︎