Extremism in the Northeast: The deadly attack in Manipur brings China’s role back into the spotlight

The recent deadly ambush near the Myanmar border in Manipur, which killed five soldiers, including a colonel, his wife, and their eight-year-old son, has brought China’s possible support for insurgencies in India’s Northeast back into focus, and the neighbour may be plotting to foment trouble in the region amid border tensions.

The People’s Liberation Army Manipur’s Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) and the Manipur Naga People’s Front jointly claimed responsibility for the ambush but maintained they were unaware of the presence of family members in the convoy.

This isn’t the first time China’s ties to insurgency organizations have been questioned. Questions about Beijing’s involvement have been raised before, such as in October 2020, when China’s propaganda apparatus warned India against signing a trade pact with Taiwan, claiming that Beijing could retaliate by supporting Northeast separatists and ceasing to recognize Sikkim as a part of India.

“There is a chance that China is fueling rebellion in the Northeast. Insurgent outfits in the Northeast, including Manipur, have ties to armed groups in Myanmar, such as the Arakan Army and the United Wa State Army, from which Chinese weaponry is being smuggled into the region, according to a senior official.

Armed terrorists ambushed an Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Saturday, while Colonel Viplav Tripathi, the commanding officer of the 46 Assam Rifles, and his fast reaction team were returning from the Behiang border station to the battalion headquarters at Khuga.

In light of the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), China may have re-established its ties with PLA Manipur and other like-minded organizations, according to Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan (retd), who led the Assam Rifles in 2017-18. “This could have been done to cause chaos in the Northeast and paralyze security personnel,” he speculated.

According to former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd), who commanded the Leimakhong-headquartered 57 Mountain Division in Manipur in 2009-10, things could alter amid tensions at the LAC because rebel organizations in the Northeast have Chinese ties.