Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi described the situation in Manipur as “stable but tense” amid ongoing ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei and tribal Kuki communities since May 3 last year. Speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2024, organized by the Indian Army and the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, General Dwivedi highlighted the critical need to control “wrong narratives” to restore normalcy in the northeastern state.
“There is a polarization between the communities. The situation is stable today, but it is tense,” General Dwivedi said, stressing the impact of misinformation on the conflict. He cited examples of false narratives, including reports of bomb drones and the infiltration of 900 foreign militants from Myanmar, both of which were debunked after investigation.
“If we can control that [false narratives], I think things will be alright,” the army chief concluded, underscoring the importance of preventing the spread of misinformation in the region to help stabilize the situation.