Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Manipur on Saturday in his first visit to the state since ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023. He landed in Imphal from Aizawl, Mizoram, where he was received by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel before travelling to Churachandpur.
A landmark day for Mizoram as it joins India’s railway map! Key infrastructure projects are also being initiated. Speaking at a programme in Aizawl. https://t.co/MxM6c2WZHZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 13, 2025
Churachandpur, dominated by the Kuki community, was among the worst affected areas in the violence that left at least 260 people dead and thousands displaced. Modi is the first Prime Minister to visit the district since Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. Later in the day, around 2.30 pm, he will return to Imphal, where he is set to inaugurate projects worth more than ₹1,200 crore and address a public gathering at Kangla Fort.
Among the major initiatives in Imphal, Modi will inaugurate the new Manipur Police Headquarters at Mantripukhri, built at a cost of ₹101 crore, and the new Civil Secretariat, costing ₹538 crore. He will also launch a drainage and asset management improvement system valued at ₹3,647 crore and the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project worth ₹550 crore.
Commitment to Peace and Development
Ahead of his visit, the Prime Minister said his government was “fully committed to furthering inclusive and all-around development of Manipur.” Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel added, “The visit of the honourable Prime Minister will pave the way for peace, normalcy and accelerated growth in the state. On behalf of the state government and the government of India, I request the people of Manipur to come forward in welcoming the PM to the state and participate in the programmes in large numbers.”
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The violence in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, following a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The unrest quickly escalated into one of the worst ethnic conflicts in decades.
Modi’s absence from the state during the peak of the violence had drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition. In August 2023, the Congress moved a no-confidence motion in Parliament, placing heavy emphasis on the Manipur issue, but the government countered by pointing to the Congress’s track record in the northeast.
Projects in Mizoram Before Manipur Visit
Before arriving in Imphal, Modi inaugurated the ₹8,070-crore Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Aizawl, Mizoram, which connects the landlocked state to the rest of the country. He also launched the 45 km Aizawl bypass road, the Thenzawl-Sialsuk and Khankawn-Rongura roads, and an LPG bottling plant at Mualkhang. In addition, he laid the foundation stone of the Chhimtuipui River Bridge on the Lawngtlai-Siaha Road and the Khelo India Multipurpose Indoor Hall.
Following his engagements in Manipur, the Prime Minister is scheduled to travel to Assam.
