PM urged to address external threat, internal security crisis
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 02 2025: Former union minister of state for education and external affairs, Dr RK Ranjan Singh, has submitted a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting pressing-internal security concerns in the Northeast, triggered by shifting geopolitical dynamics involving neighbouring countries Myanmar and Bangladesh, and growing Chinese strategic influence in the region.

In his letter submitted on Monday, Dr Ranjan noted that the Northeast region is witnessing a renewed wave of security challenges in the wake of instability in neighbouring countries, particularly after the military coup in Myanmar and political polarisation in Bangladesh.

He cautioned that external forces are taking advantage of the volatile situation in Myanmar to escalate ethnic tensions, destabilise border areas and promote insurgent activities.

Referring to the ongoing civil war in Myanmar following the 2021 coup, the former parliamentarian said that the situation has worsened due to the rise of armed ethnic groups like the Arakan Army and the Kachin Independence Army.

These developments, he said, have seriously affected Indian states like Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.

Citing UNHCR data, he said over 68,600 people, mostly Chin-Kuki-Zomi from Myanmar's Sagaing Region and Chin State, have fled into India, particularly Manipur and Mizoram and stressed that the large-scale refugee influx has strained local resources and complicated inter-ethnic relations, ultimately fuelling the current war-like situation in Manipur.

Dr Ranjan further warned that Myanmar's weakened governance and limited military presence along the Indo-Myanmar border have allowed Indian insurgent groups to operate with relative impunity, leading to an increase in cross-border activities, including arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, severely undermining the region's security.

The former union minister also expressed concern over the growing Islamist resurgence in Bangladesh, allegedly supported by a foreign superpower, which he claimed has led to heightened political polarisation.

The re-emergence of radical outfits like Jamaat-e-Islami and remnants of Harkat-ul-Islami Bangladesh (HuJi-B) has added to India's security concerns, especially in bordering states like Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, he stated in his representation.

Citing recent diplomatic remarks made by Bangladesh's interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus during a visit to China, Dr Ranjan highlighted what he called an alarming shift in regional posture.

He noted Yunus' comments referring to India's Northeast as "landlocked" and Bangladesh as the "only guardian of the ocean, suggesting Dhaka s willingness to serve as a gateway for Chinese economic expansion in the region.

The remarks, he said, should be seen as an open invitation to China to extend its influence into India's Northeast, which has caused diplomatic unease in India.

Dr Ranjan pointed out that these developments must be understood in the broader context of China's deliberate strategic encirclement of India.

He said that Beijing continues to exert military, economic and diplomatic influence over countries bordering India's Northeast, namely Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, as part of its broader "String of Pearls" strategy aimed at reducing India's strategic depth.

He called for the urgent formulation of a draft policy framework on internal security in the Northeast, stressing that the current ethnic conflict in Manipur, particularly between the Meeteis and illegal intruders from the Chin-Kuki tribes of Myanmar, must be addressed seriously.

He urged the Centre to pursue an aggressive diplomatic approach with Myanmar based on mutual reciprocity.

Among the measures recommended by Dr Ranjan are the deportation of undocumented immigrants, use of all law enforcement agencies to conduct verification drives, creation of an authentic citizen database based on Aadhaar and passports, and the initiation of peace talks with insurgent and militant groups active in the region.

Stating that a stable and peaceful Northeast is essential to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat, Dr Ranjan urged the Prime Minister to take immediate steps to safeguard national security and regional integrity through proactive policies and coordinated efforts.

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