A Rising Frontier

When Prime Minister Narender Modi arrived in Manipur two year after ethnic clashes had scarred the sate, the moment carried deep symbolism. For decades, India’s Northeast had been treated as a distant frontier strategically vital but politically peripheral, culturally rich but economically neglected. Modi’s visit marked not only a commitment to healing Manipur’s wounds but also a reaffirmation that the Northeast is now central to India’s security, development, and national pride.

Modi appeal to communities to “strengthen the bridge of brotherhood between the hills and the valley” was not just rhetoric but a recognition that sustainable peace in Manipur depends on dialogue, trust, and reconciliation.

For too long, the region’s history was written in the language of insurgency, alienation, and underdevelopment. The seven sisters of the Northeast, with their unique identities and diverse tribal mosaic, were often remembered in Delhi only during crises. Modi government has sought to reverse this pattern. From infrastructure to integration, from peace accords to political empowerment, it has crafted a comprehensive mission to bring the Northeast into the national mainstream. The Manipur crisis of 2023 was the biggest test of this mission and its handling has shown both resilience and resolve.

The ethnic violence in Manipur during 2023 posed one of the gravest challenges for India’s internal security. What began as a dispute between the Meitei majority and the Kuki tribal community escalated into widespread bloodshed. Central government intervened with swift and decisive step and resisted the temptation of politicizing the conflict. The resignation of Manipur’s chief minister in February 2025, followed by central rule, allowed governance to stabilize without partisan wrangling. By maintaining administrative calm, Delhi prevented the unrest from becoming a political football, choosing instead to focus on rebuilding peace. This quiet firmness ensured that the Northeast remained a buffer of stability at a time when regional tensions could have spiralled out of control.

The Northeast, however, is not defined by Manipur alone. It is a mosaic of more than 200 tribes, each with distinct languages, traditions, and historical grievances. Governing such diversity requires sensitivity, not uniformity. The Modi government’s recalibrated strategy has sought to empower autonomous councils, expand peace accords, and settle long-festering disputes. By giving local institutions greater say, Delhi has signalled respect for tribal autonomy and transformed local bodies into partners in governance rather than adversaries. In the past, the Northeast was starved of infrastructure, with poor connectivity, limited industry, and little integration with the rest of India’s economy. Under Modi’s leadership, that neglect has been reversed. Highways, railways, and new airports have turned the Northeast from a landlocked frontier into a gateway for trade.

Projects under the Bharatmala and UDAN schemes are shrinking distances, both physical and psychological. Internet connectivity, long a dream, is now reality in remote villages, with digital education, telemedicine, and e-governance breaking the isolation of the hills. The PM-DevINEscheme has been launched as a dedicated development initiative channelling funds into region-specific projects such as bridges, schools, and hospitals that directly match local needs. What makes this development different from the past is its emphasis on dignity. The aim is not only to build infrastructure but also to nurture pride and participation among the youth. The message is clear the Northeast is not being treated as a lagging region that must catch up but as an integral partner in India’s growth story.

Development, however, cannot by itself heal wounds. The tragedy in Manipur underscored that reconciliation and emotional outreach are just as important as roads and bridges.

The Northeast is also India’s frontier with the world, sharing borders with Myanmar, China, and Bangladesh. Modi’s strategy has emphasized the geopolitical stakes with clarity. Strengthening border infrastructure ensures that the region is no longer vulnerable to external manipulation. Boosts to the armed forces’ presence, modernization of bases, and improved coordination with paramilitary units reflect a blend of readiness and restraint. This dual balance hard power for defence and soft power through development is the hallmark of India’s doctrine in the eastern Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal. It not only safeguards sovereignty but also projects India as a responsible power in a region of growing global importance.

For decades, leaders from the Northeast were treated as peripheral voices in Delhi’s power corridors. Today, they are integral to national governance. Leaders from the region now hold key portfolios in the Union cabinet, shaping policies beyond their home states. The Bharatiya Janata Party, once a marginal player in the region, has expanded its footprint, embedding itself into the political fabric of multiple north-eastern states. More importantly, representatives from the region are no longer just symbolic presences in Parliament; they are active participants in shaping debates and policies. This political integration signals that the Northeast is no longer a bargaining chip but a stakeholder in the national destiny.

From the tragedy of Manipur’s ethnic violence to the promise of highways and rail connectivity in Mizoram, the Northeast’s journey under Modi’s leadership has been one of resilience and renewal. The government has not only responded to crises with firmness but has also laid the foundation for long-term integration through development, dialogue, and dignity. The region has moved from being viewed as a problem to be managed to a partner in national progress. This transformation is not without challenges sustaining peace requires constant engagement, and ensuring that development benefits reach the last mile will be a continuing task. Yet, the direction is clear and the commitment is visible.

The message that emerges from Manipur and beyond is unmistakable the Northeast is no longer a region in waiting. It is a region rising. It is India’s bridge to Southeast Asia, its laboratory for federal harmony, and its showcase for inclusive growth. Credit must be given where it is due to a government that has not only acted but listened, not only promised but delivered. If this trajectory continues, the Northeast will no longer be remembered for what it once suffered but for what it has become: a proud, integral, and dynamic frontier of India’s 21st-century story.