Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met victims of the ethnic violence in Manipur’s Churachandpur during his first visit to the state in two years since unrest broke out in 2023.
The visit comes against
the backdrop of ethnic unrest in the state. Since May 2023, clashes between the valley-majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribes in the hills have left over 260 people dead and displaced nearly 50,000.
The victims of the unrest included internally displaced families who lost their homes in the clashes.
Ahead of his scheduled address at Churachandpur’s Peace Ground, PM Modi interacted with children, accepting a bouquet and a painting from them.
During the meeting, he was seen wearing a traditional feathered hat gifted by one of the children.
#WATCH | Manipur: PM Modi being welcomed in Churachandpur as he arrives in the city. PM also interacts with the locals of the city.
PM will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur today. The projects include Manipur… pic.twitter.com/wvDxi3P28i
— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone for a series of development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.
The initiatives include the Manipur Urban Roads, Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project valued at more than Rs 3,600 crore, five National Highway projects worth over Rs 2,500 crore, the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, and working women’s hostels at nine locations, among others.
#WATCH | Churachandpur, Manipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore at Churachandpur. The projects include Manipur Urban Roads, drainage and asset management improvement project worth over Rs 3,600… pic.twitter.com/SqNNAAvr0I
— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2025
While addressing the public event, PM Modi called Manipur a land of “courage and determination,” saying that the “vibrance of the northeastern state reflects India’s great strength.”
“Since 2014, my government has been continuously working with full dedication to improve connectivity in Manipur. We have increased the budget for railway, air, and road connectivity in Manipur several times.”
At the heart of the conflict in Manipur are competing demands: the Meiteis, who fall under the general category, have sought Scheduled Tribe status, while the Kukis—who share close ethnic ties with Myanmar’s Chin community and Mizoram—have called for a separate administration, alleging marginalisation and unequal access to land and resources.
