After controlling Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the country, the Central Government is now planning to focus on ending the active militancy in the North-East. According to HT report, officials having information about this said that the government aims to complete this mission by 2029.
According to officials, the security forces which were deployed in Naxal-affected areas till now, will be sent to insurgency-affected states like Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. This reorganization of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is likely to begin after the West Bengal Assembly elections and Amarnath Yatra. The second phase of voting in West Bengal is to be held on April 29, while the Amarnath Yatra takes place in July-August.
When will the battalion be sent to North East?
In the coming months, possibly by mid-2026, specialized units trained in guerrilla warfare, such as the CRPF’s Cobra battalion, will be sent to the North East. However, officials have made it clear that there will be no complete withdrawal of forces from Naxal affected areas, rather their numbers will be gradually reduced.
Manipur officials have confirmed that the first batch of new mine-protected vehicles, which are used in sensitive areas, have arrived there. A total of 16 militant organizations are currently active in the North-East. Among these, maximum 8 organizations are active in Manipur, 3 in Assam, 2 each in Meghalaya and Tripura and 1 in Nagaland.
Has there been a reduction in incidents related to extremism?
According to government data, incidents related to extremism have decreased significantly in the last decade. In 2014, 824 incidents were recorded, in which 1,934 militants were arrested, 181 were killed and 212 civilians died. Whereas in 2024, the incidents came down to 294, in which 31 militants were killed, 571 were arrested and 30 civilians died. Most of the incidents in 2024 were related to caste violence in Manipur, which accounted for 77 percent of the cases in the entire region.
How will the security forces be deployed?
A Manipur official said that the deployment of security forces will start from Manipur, because the challenge of extremism is greater here compared to other states. He said that in the closed-door meetings, top officials have clearly stated that it is necessary to end militancy and drug smuggling in the North-East and a deadline of 2029 has been set for this.
According to the official, mine-protected and bulletproof vehicles being used in Naxal-affected states will also be brought to the North-East. Some light bulletproof vehicles have already reached Manipur’s Ukhrul district, where clashes have taken place between the Naga and Kuki communities. Manipur is also getting its own vehicles for counter-insurgency operations.
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