Security forces across India’s Northeast detained more than 500 insurgents and overground workers in 2025 and seized large caches of explosives, weapons and ammunition even as a fragile peace prevailed in Manipur and volatility persisted along the India-Myanmar border.
Operations by the Army, Assam Rifles, Manipur Police and other central and state forces in Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura led to recoveries of about 4,000 kg of explosives, 1,800 arms and 23,000 rounds of ammunition, security sources said. Alongside these, nearly 1,900 grenades, more than 300 bombs, scores of rockets, around 1,400 improvised explosive devices and nearly 20,000 detonators were seized.
The region has also seen repeated smaller recoveries and counter-insurgency sweeps. Joint intelligence-led operations in Manipur uncovered weapons and warlike stores across valley and hill districts, with recoveries of rifles, mortars, pistols and ammunition, and targeted actions including arrests of suspected militants from banned outfits.
Despite a reduction in violent incidents, Manipur’s peace remains tenuous. In January, three improvised explosive devices were found near the India–Myanmar border in the state, underscoring persistent security challenges along the frontier.
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Drug trafficking continues to compound security concerns. Forces seized about 3,000 kg of narcotics from the Northeast in 2025, and illegal poppy cultivation, particularly in areas bordering Myanmar, has drawn official attention as a major emerging threat.
The India–Myanmar border itself has been a flashpoint, with recent reports of the border fence being cut in Manipur, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing cross-border movement, smuggling and potential militant activity.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act remains in force across much of the region, including Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, extended for six months to support counter-insurgency and law-and-order operations in areas designated as “disturbed” amid enduring unrest.
While several militant groups in Manipur are under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact and directed to remain in camps and surrender looted arms, the scale of recoveries suggests a fluid and complex security environment not only in Manipur but across neighbouring states, security analysts said.
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