Intense Tensions, Warfare Conditions on India-Myanmar’s Northeast Border

The 1,643-kilometer-long rugged border between India and Myanmar has once again become the scene of intense tension.

This border, passing through Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram, has long posed a challenge to India’s national security. However, recent successive attacks in the past few weeks have shaken the security agencies.

At the beginning of June, there was a clash between Indian security forces and militants in the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh. The militants were heavily armed and used the dense forests to their advantage to carry out intense firing. After the clash, the attackers reportedly fled into Myanmar’s territory.

During a search operation launched on June 6, two militants were killed, who were identified as members of the banned National Socialist Council of Nagalim – (K-YA) (NSCN-KYA). This group does not recognize any ceasefire agreement with the Indian government and operates by taking refuge inside Myanmar.

This was the third major attack in a month. Earlier, on May 14, in a clash in the Chandel district of Manipur, 10 militants were killed and a large quantity of weapons was recovered. However, the extent of losses suffered by the Indian army in these operations remains completely undisclosed.

So far, neither the Indian army nor the government has confirmed any casualties, and local media has remained unusually silent. Analysts believe that Indian authorities are deliberately hiding the ground realities to protect the country’s reputation at the global level.

This is not the first time India has suffered heavy casualties along the Myanmar border. In June 2015, an attack by militants in the same Chandel district of Manipur resulted in the deaths of 18 Indian soldiers. Following that, India officially announced a retaliatory operation inside Myanmar, which was termed a “surgical strike.”

In September 2024, India approved a border security project worth 31,000 crore rupees, which included fencing and the creation of special patrol routes. However, there has been no significant progress on the ground regarding this plan. The difficult mountainous terrain, resistance from local populations, and attacks by active groups such as the People’s Defence Force and NSCN (K-YA) in Myanmar have paralyzed the project.

The NSCN-KYA group is not only outside the ceasefire agreement but has been actively engaged in anti-India operations for many years. The group has rejected all negotiation efforts, and recent clashes once again demonstrate its active presence.

There are fears that if the Indian army does not respond effectively and transparently to this threat, the Myanmar border could become a new Kashmir for India — where a silent war, extrajudicial killings, and information concealment will lead to further problems.

Currently, the Indian army is entangled in a war in dense forests, against a cunning enemy and with poor strategy — a conflict that appears futile. If the ground realities are not acknowledged and serious policy reforms are not implemented, this border region could become a long-term crisis for India.