Manipur Groups’ Crude Missiles: Concerns and Security Measures

• Kuki-Zo and Meitei groups in Manipur have added crude, unguided rockets with a potential range of up to 6 km to their arsenal.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a multi-stakeholder expert committee to investigate the incident.
• The rockets are in addition to hexacopter drones used by both sides to drop bombs and rocket propelled grenades.
• The rockets were fired from Kuki-dominated areas in August, a significant escalation of the crisis that began in May 2023.
• The Kuki-Zo groups began developing these after a clash in May 2023 between armed Kuki groups and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
• Valley-based insurgent groups (VBIG) have also procured similar long-range crude rockets, procured from the People’s Defence Force (PDF).
• Security forces have deployed counter-drone systems to address the situation.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs is reviewing ground rules applicable to the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, with one proposed measure being the removal of SoO camps from locations close to the valley districts.