When Prime Minister Narender Modi arrived in Manipur two year after ethnic clashes had scarred the sate, the moment carried deep symbolism. For decades, India’s Northeast had been treated as a distant frontier strategically vital but politically peripheral, culturally rich but economically neglected. Modi’s visit marked not only a commitment to healing Manipur’s wounds but also a reaffirmation that the Northeast is now central to India’s security, development, and national pride.

Modi appeal to communities to “strengthen the bridge of brotherhood between the hills and the valley” was not just rhetoric but a recognition that sustainable peace in Manipur depends on dialogue, trust, and reconciliation.

For too long, the region’s history was written in the language of insurgency, alienation, and underdevelopment. The seven sisters of the Northeast, with their unique identities and diverse tribal mosaic, were often remembered in Delhi only during crises. Modi government has sought to reverse this pattern. From infrastructure to integration, from peace accords to political empowerment, it has crafted a comprehensive mission to bring the Northeast into the national mainstream. The Manipur crisis of 2023 was the biggest test of this mission and its handling has shown both resilience and resolve.

The ethnic violence in Manipur during 2023 posed one of the gravest challenges for India’s internal security. What began as a dispute between the Meitei majority and the Kuki tribal community escalated into widespread bloodshed. Central government intervened with swift and decisive step and resisted the temptation of politicizing the conflict. The resignation of........

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