IN-DEPTH: India Faces a Narrative War Over Unrest in Violence-Torn Border State

As India deals with a tide of ethnic violence in its border state of Manipur, experts say it is facing a narrative war that threatens to undermine long-term peace efforts in the region.

A woman walks through the wreckage of a building that was set on fire and vandalized by mobs in Khumujamba village on the outskirts of Churachandpur on May 9, 2023, in an area hit by violence in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

NEW DELHI—India is witnessing record violence in Manipur, a state bordering Burma, also known as Myanmar. The situation has come to a head, as India’s parliament authorized a vote of no-confidence in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his reaction to the crisis.

Burma’s extremist groups and displaced civilians, under the heat of the country’s civil war, are infiltrating India and destabilizing the border state, experts say. The situation worsened after the military junta took over in 2021 and began counter-insurgency operations.