PM Modi visits Manipur: First Trip Since 2023 violence to launch Rs.8,500 Crore development projects

Modi's historic visit comes after sustained criticism from opposition parties who had consistently demanded his presence in the state following the outbreak of violence that has claimed over 258 lives and displaced approximately 60,000 people. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects worth Rs.8,500 crore across both Churachandpur and Imphal.

Strategic Dual-Location Approach

The Prime Minister's itinerary strategically covers both ethnic strongholds. At 12:30 PM, Modi arrived in Churachandpur, the Kuki-majority district that has been the epicenter of violence, where he will launch projects worth Rs.7,300 crore. Later at 2:30 PM, he will travel to Imphal's historic Kangla Fort in the Meitei-dominated valley to inaugurate projects worth Rs.1,200 crore.

Major projects include:

• Manipur Urban Roads and Drainage Project (Rs.3,647 crore)
  
  

• Manipur Infotech Development Project (Rs.550 crore)
  
  

• New Manipur Police Headquarters (Rs.101 crore)
  
  

• Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri (₹538 crore)
  
  

• Upgrades to 120 schools across 16 districts
  
  

Modi's Limited Parliamentary Responses

Throughout the two-year crisis, PM Modi addressed Manipur violence only three times in Parliament:

1. July 20, 2023: Condemned the viral video of two Kuki women being paraded naked, calling it shameful
   
   

2. August 10, 2023: During no-confidence motion, promised "dawn of peace" in Manipur
   
   

3. August 15, 2023: Independence Day address mentioning violation of women's dignity
   
   

Notably, during his 133-minute Parliament speech in August 2023, Modi spoke about Manipur for less than three minutes.

Recent Peace Initiatives

Suspension of Operations Agreement: Ten days before Modi's visit, the Centre signed a fresh Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki groups KZC and United People's Front on September 4, 2025. The agreement includes:

• Maintaining Manipur's territorial integrity
  
  

• Relocating designated camps away from vulnerable areas
  
  

• Joint monitoring by security forces
  
  

Highway Reopening: Following the agreement, National Highway-2 connecting Manipur with Nagaland was reopened after being effectively closed since May 2023. However, Kuki groups clarified this doesn't endorse "unrestricted movement across buffer zones".

Current Political Situation

Manipur has been under President's Rule since February 13, 2025, following Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's resignation on February 9. Singh stepped down after 21 months of violence and facing a no-confidence motion, with the BJP failing to find a consensus successor.

Extensive security measures have been implemented with over 10,000 personnel from police, CRPF, BSF, Assam Rifles, and disaster management teams deployed at both venues. Strict prohibitions on items including keys, pens, water bottles, and bags have been enforced.

This marks Modi's eighth visit to Manipur as Prime Minister, having previously visited seven times between 2014 and 2022. The visit makes him the first Prime Minister after Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 to visit Churachandpur in nearly four decades.