Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said the security situation in Manipur has markedly improved this year, with violent incidents sharply declining following the imposition of President’s Rule in February 2025.
Speaking at the Chanakya Defence Conclave 2025, Gen. Dwivedi recalled the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, describing it as a matter of “deep personal pain” due to his prior service in the state.
“It hurt me to see such a beautiful place, which felt like heaven to me, in that condition,” he said.
Since February, the Army Chief noted, both mutual trust among communities and public confidence in the administration have begun to recover. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur in September further helped stabilise the situation, with the PM calling the state a “gem of India”.
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“If the situation continues to progress, the President is also expected to visit soon,” he added.
Comparing the present scenario with the peak of violence two years ago, Gen. Dwivedi observed a stark contrast. “In 2023, even the police were troubled and people were anxious. The standards of 2023 and today have completely changed,” he said.
Highlighting security gains over the past year, he said the recovery of illegal weapons has nearly doubled, from around 200 a month in 2023-24 to nearly 400 now, while incidents of violence have declined.
Gen. Dwivedi expressed optimism that lasting peace is achievable if communities continue engaging in dialogue. “If people from different communities come together and talk, they will surely be able to reach an agreement,” he said.
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