New Delhi: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said the security situation in Manipur has seen a substantial improvement this year, with a sharp drop in violent incidents following the imposition of President’s Rule in February 2025.
Addressing the Chanakya Defence Conclave 2025, Gen. Dwivedi said the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023 had caused him “deep personal pain” because of his previous service in the state.
“It hurt me to see such a beautiful place, which felt like heaven to me, in that condition,” he said.
The Army Chief said that since February, both mutual trust among communities and public confidence in the government have shown signs of recovery.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in September further helped stabilise the ground situation, noting that the PM had described Manipur as a “gem of India”.
“If the situation continues to progress, the President is also expected to visit soon,” he said.
Comparing current conditions with the peak of violence two years ago, Gen. Dwivedi said the contrast was stark.
“In 2023, even the police were troubled and people were anxious. The standards of 2023 and today have completely changed,” he noted.
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He highlighted security gains made over the past year, stating that 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.
