While the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) says the Kukis won’t sit with Meitei Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for talks, the Union Government of India (GOI) particularly the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is now working on a plan to bring Kuki and Meitei leaders to the same table for a joint meeting, likely in November-December this year, a report of the The New Indian Express quoting officials familiar with the developments published on July 10, 2025 said.
According to the report, a series of peace talks, major seizures of illegal weapons and noticeable decline in violence, amidst the ongoing violent conflict involving the Kuki-Zomi militants and Meiteis have raised fragile hopes among officials engaged in efforts to restore peace normalcy.
“We are hoping that the prevailing situation in the state continues for a few months. Provided violent clashes between the fighting groups do not occur, plans are afoot to bring together Kuki and Meitei leaders on the negotiating table and arrive at a lasting peace,” the report quoted a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“In their separate meetings with the MHA officials they have indicated that they wanted peace and return to normalcy,” the official added.
According reports, the officials claim that security forces have achieved a breakthrough in ensuring uninterrupted movement of essential goods from the State capital, Imphal, to other parts of the State, including remote hill regions.
However, on the ground, there have not been any resistance by the civilians in the Central Valley in the movement of essential commodities from Imphal to other parts of the State except during the first three-four months of the beginning of the violent conflict since May 3, 2023. That’s also in response to the blockage of essential goods transporting to Imphal through the National Highways by the Kuki-Zomi militants and their groups of people. Only the movement of goods including essential commodities and medicines to Manipur’s Central Valley through NH-2 and NH-37 connecting Manipur to Nagaland and Assam respectively have been blocked by Kuki-Zomi militants and their frontal groups for more than two years.
It may be mentioned that only the security guarded transport vehicles owned and driven by non-Meiteis only can move on the National Highways and State Highways and inter-district roads beyond Manipur Central Valley. Moreover, the people are aware that the transporters of petroleum products have not been transporting for the last several days. The National Highway, NH-2 has been severed due to landslide, specifically between Phesama and Kasama villages in Nagaland. This has resulted in the indefinite closure of Kohima-Mao route of the NH-2. A temporary diversion road has been constructed for light vehicles but it is not suitable for heavy vehicles.
In the past three months, the Government of India initiated talks and held three rounds of talks each with representatives of the CSOs led by Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi organisations –once together and separately as well. Despite earlier inconclusive talks, reports quoted officials as saying that the discussions were “constructive” and both sides had agreed to continue the dialogue.
Earlier, the MHA officials on April5, 2025 held a meeting after the violent conflict broke out with representatives of All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) and Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) from the Meiteis while the Kuki-Zomi side included members from the Kuki-Zo Council, Kuki Inpi Manipur, Zomi Council, United Zou Organisation, and Hmar Inpi. The meeting was inconclusive as the Kuki-Zomis refused to sign the points discussed in the meeting.
A second round followed on May 27, when the MHA held separate meetings with the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and FOCS. AMUCO did not attend. That meeting too ended inconclusively.
The third round of talks between the Meitei-led CSOs of Manipur and MHA officials was held on June 30, 2025 and it was for the first time the three leading Meitei-led civil societies group of Manipur together met the officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Delhi.
A 19-member delegation from the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), and Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS) met the MHA officials in Delhi to resolve the violent conflict. The Home Ministry team the Manipur civil societies’ delegation met was led by the MHA’s North East Advisor A K Mishra, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Joint Director Rajesh Kamble and other senior officers.
Though the primary agenda of the meeting was restoration of peace in the State, the delegation raised the issues of the Internally Displaced People (IDP), exercise of the NRC, identification of immigrants, ensuring free movement on National Highways, the plight of farmers and the Gwaltabi incident among others in the meeting with the MHA team.
Now, the Government of India is reportedly hopeful of convening a joint meeting of the representatives of the Meitei-led CSOs of Manipur and Kuki-Zomi communities by the end of the year, preferably around November or December – a step, MHA officials considered critical to achieving lasting peace in the State.
The Government of India is hopeful following the handing over of a total of 1,089 weapons voluntarily by various groups, including 246 weapons at the 1st MR complex in Imphal West by Arambai Tenggol on February 27, 2025, and individuals following an appeal by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to surrender illegal arms looted from the State’s armouries during the violent conflict. February 27 was set the last day of the deadline by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla’s ultimatum announced on February 20, 2025 for surrendering weapons.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla extended the deadline to surrender looted and illegal weapons until 4pm on March 6. This follows the seven-day ultimatum by Bhalla on February 20 for voluntarily surrendering looted and illegally held arms and ammunition as part of efforts to end the protracted violent conflict between the Kuki-Zomi militants and Meiteis in the Northeastern State of Manipur. He assured no punitive action would be taken against those who comply.
The Governor’s offer brings the total number of recovered weapons to 5,859, officials said, adding that the largest recovery took place on the night of June 13–14, when Manipur Police and Central Security Forces recovered 328 weapons from five districts in the Imphal Valley.
However, the particular places from where and individuals/groups from whom the weapons were recovered are not yet made known to the public.
Furthermore, Manipur Police had said in one of its ‘X’ posts, “From the midnight of July 3 to the morning of July 4, 2025, Security Forces conducted coordinated search operations across the hill districts of Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Chandel, and Churachandpur, acting on specific intelligence inputs. The joint teams—comprising Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, Indian Army, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)—uncovered large caches of arms, ammunition, explosives, and other warlike materials from concealed locations,”.
Security Forces have intensified operations against criminal and extortion networks. So far, over 600 extortion-related cases have been registered and more than 320 arrests made, police said, adding that nearly 12 underground operatives affiliated with various militant outfits have also been apprehended.
Report quoting officials said that the efforts of the Manipur Police and Central Security Forces imply a systematic attempt to dismantle insurgent financing and logistics networks. They added that improvements in the situation could be attributed to better coordination among Central Security Forces, proactive engagement by community leaders, and a growing willingness among rival groups to pursue dialogue.
However, several Kuki-Zomi groups have voiced opposition to or set conditions for engaging in further talks with Meitei groups in Manipur, particularly regarding the resumption of political dialogue with the government. Various Kuki-Zomi groups are demanding a political settlement for the Kuki-Zomi people under the Indian Constitution before any engagement with the Meitei community.
Kuki-Zomi organizations including 10 MLAs have stated they will not engage with the government or its representatives until the government resumes talks with SoO (Suspension of Operations) groups in substantive political dialogue.
Following this, Kuki-Zomi militant groups and MHA officials, in a meeting on June 16, 2025, reached an understanding on the relocation and closure of certain camps run by the groups in Manipur. The MHA stressed on recovery of looted weapons and the opening of the national highways. Security agencies have proposed the closure of seven out of 14 existing camps, which are located close to Meitei-populated areas in the foothills.
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) Information & Publicity Secretary, Janghaolun Haokip, in the Point of View talk show of Northeast Live on July 8, 2025 speaking to its Editor-in-Chief Wasbir Hussain, has made it clear that the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki tribes in Manipur will not sit for talks with Meitei CSOs as part of the MHA initiative. Janghaolun Haokip said that the KIM will only sit with Meiteis to sign an agreement of separation.
The remark appears as the stumbling block by hardening its position for a Separate Administration to the talks to be continued between Meitei-led CSOs and Kuki-Zomi communities while the Meiteis have been extending its hands for coexistence of different ethnic groups by detecting, detaining and deporting the illegal immigrants to protect the territorial boundary of Manipur, and unity and integrity of the State.
Now, the pertinent question is – Could the hope of the Government of India convening a joint meeting of the Meitei-led CSOs and Kuki-Zomi communities by the end of the year be realised?
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
