PM Modi to Visit Manipur for First Time Since Ethnic Violence, Launch ₹8,500 Crore Projects

New Delhi, September 12, 2025– Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur on Saturday, making his first trip to the state in over two years since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. The visit will see him launch and inaugurate development projects worth nearly ₹8,500 crore, officials confirmed.

At Peace Ground in Churachandpur, a Kuki-majority district, the Prime Minister will lay foundation stones for projects valued at ₹7,300 crore. In Imphal, the Meitei-majority capital, he will inaugurate completed works worth ₹1,200 crore.

The long-awaited visit comes after sustained opposition criticism over Modi’s absence from the violence-hit state, where clashes between Meiteis and Kukis have left more than 260 dead and displaced thousands. Manipur has remained under President’s Rule since February, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Preparations for the high-profile visit include billboards at key points such as Keisampat Junction in Imphal. Authorities have issued strict advisories for attendees, banning items such as keys, pens, bags, umbrellas, water bottles, and sharp objects. Children under 12 and unwell individuals have also been discouraged from attending, while air guns have been temporarily banned in Churachandpur.

Security has been significantly tightened, with heavy deployment of police, paramilitary forces, and disaster management teams in both Imphal and Churachandpur. Kangla Fort, covering 237 acres, is under 24-hour surveillance, with disaster management boats patrolling its moats and barricades erected along routes to Peace Ground.

Political leaders and community groups have described the visit as historic. Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba said, “It is a great fortune that the Prime Minister will directly listen to the people’s hardships. No Prime Minister in history has come here during such times.”

Kuki-Zo organisations hailed the visit as a rare and significant moment, noting it comes nearly four decades after a Prime Minister last set foot in the region. “We trust your leadership to heal our wounds, restore our dignity, and safeguard the future of the Kuki-Zo people,” the Kuki-Zo Council said in a statement.

However, some groups voiced concerns. Women’s organisation Imagi Meira opposed a cultural dance planned to welcome Modi and instead urged him to ensure safe passage for Meiteis along the National Highway and address security concerns.