Lieutenant General Abhijit S Pendharkar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Spear Corps, visited Imphal to review the operational preparedness of security forces deployed across conflict-affected areas of Manipur. His visit is part of the Indian Army’s ongoing efforts to maintain stability in the region, which has witnessed severe ethnic violence since May 2023.
During his visit, Lt Gen Pendharkar interacted with personnel from the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, and Manipur Police. He praised the security forces for their professionalism and high morale while operating under difficult conditions. The review emphasized inter-agency coordination, force readiness, and strategic deployment of nearly 36,000 personnel tasked with maintaining law and order in the state.
The situation in Manipur remains tense, particularly following the recent redeployment of Assam Rifles units from sensitive hill districts such as Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, with CRPF forces taking their place. This move has drawn criticism from some Kuki-Zo community leaders but is seen by the government as a step toward optimizing force utilization by assigning Assam Rifles to border management duties along the Myanmar frontier.
Lt Gen Pendharkar, who brings over 34 years of distinguished military service, including experience with the Territorial Army, is expected to play a key role in navigating the evolving security landscape. His visit follows the 2023 invocation of Article 355 by the central government to reinforce state security mechanisms.
The High Court’s 2023 recommendation to consider ST status for the Meitei community initially sparked the ethnic tensions that have since claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands. In this complex backdrop, Lt Gen Pendharkar’s visit also signals support for reconciliation initiatives, such as the National Convention on Peace, aimed at healing communal divides.
The Army’s leadership has reiterated its dual focus on enforcing peace and fostering dialogue among communities, ensuring that security responses are sensitive to the region’s ethnic dynamics while maintaining territorial integrity and internal stability.
