Modi’s long silence and the stakes of his possible visit to Manipur

Speculation about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s possible visit to Manipur has gripped the state, with government machineries springing into action and security measures tightening. While his visits to Mizoram and Assam on September 13 have been confirmed, there is still no official word on Manipur. Yet, the mere possibility has triggered intense debate: why now, after two years and four months of silence since the May 3, 2023 ethnic conflict erupted? What message will he bring to a state battered by violence, displacement, and uncertainty?
For the people of Manipur, Modi’s silence has been deafening. The Prime Minister, who has no hesitation in addressing issues elsewhere in his radio programme Mann Ki Baat or in public rallies across the country, has carefully avoided even uttering the word “Manipur” since the crisis began. His refusal to acknowledge the suffering of thousands—families torn apart, homes burned, and lives lost—has been seen as indifference, if not deliberate neglect. A visit now, after more than two years of calculated absence, cannot be brushed off as routine. It must be seen for what it is: a long overdue test of his leadership and accountability.
The crisis in Manipur is not a local disturbance. It is a national failure. The government at the Centre has allowed armed groups, shielded by the flawed Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreements, to exploit the situation. Instead of restoring peace, the SoO has provided space for armed groups to entrench themselves, deepen divisions, and destabilize the region. Communities in Manipur have repeatedly demanded clarity and action. Yet Delhi has chosen silence. If the Prime Minister does come, he must break that silence—not with vague assurances, but with a clear and uncompromising policy that ends the duplicity of “peace talks” that have become a cover for militancy.
The larger question of Manipur’s territorial integrity also looms. Since the controversial Merger Agreement of 1949, the people of Manipur have lived with the memory of a coerced annexation and the fear of losing their political identity. Today, that fear has sharpened into suspicion: will New Delhi redraw boundaries to appease certain groups? Will Manipur be sacrificed at the altar of vote-bank politics? These are not abstract anxieties but urgent concerns in a state where geography and identity are inseparable. Modi’s visit—if it happens—will be judged on whether he reaffirms without ambiguity that Manipur’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable. Anything less will be seen as betrayal.
Equally damning is the Centre’s lack of empathy. Tens of thousands remain displaced, forced to live in camps under appalling conditions. The victims of violence have received little more than token aid. No serious rehabilitation plan, no roadmap for justice, no genuine peace initiative has been pursued. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has chosen silence. It is this indifference that has deepened the wound in Manipur, turning a tragedy into a festering crisis.
If Modi finally sets foot in Manipur, he cannot afford to treat it as a brief stopover sandwiched between engagements in Mizoram and Assam. That would be an insult to the people. The state does not need choreographed speeches or photo opportunities. It needs acknowledgment of the Centre’s failures, justice for victims, and a bold plan to end the cycle of violence. The Prime Minister must sit with the people, listen to their anguish, and commit resources and political will to rebuild trust.
A perfunctory visit would only confirm what many already suspect—that Manipur is expendable in the national imagination. But a sincere engagement could still change the narrative. The people are not asking for miracles. They are asking for leadership—for a Prime Minister who does not look away when a part of his country bleeds.
Narendra Modi has an opportunity to redeem his silence, but it will demand honesty and courage. If he comes with empty rhetoric, he will leave Manipur more divided than before. If he comes with a commitment to protect its integrity, dismantle the failed policies of the past, and restore peace, he could begin to repair the trust his government has squandered.
The stakes could not be higher. For Manipur, this visit—if it happens—will not just be another political event. It may well decide the future of a state whose patience has long run out.