Imphal | The state government has sought 30 additional companies of central forces, including CoBRA and Rapid Action Force units, to bolster counter-insurgency operations and secure vulnerable areas amid renewed clashes.

Imphal, October 11: The Manipur government has sought 3,000 additional central paramilitary personnel from the Union Home Ministry to strengthen security operations as ethnic violence and tensions in the state’s hill districts continue to pose challenges to law enforcement.

The request, which is pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), seeks 30 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including specialised units of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and the Rapid Action Force (RAF).

If approved, the deployment would reinforce an existing security presence estimated at more than 300 companies, or around 30,000 personnel, according to assessments conducted in mid-2026.

Security sources said the additional forces were needed to address operational gaps across vulnerable areas. CoBRA personnel would be deployed in difficult terrain for specialised operations, while RAF units would be tasked with managing public-order flashpoints. Other CAPF personnel would help secure sensitive locations and sanitise routes before troop movements.

However, it remains uncertain whether the Centre can meet the state’s demand, given its security commitments elsewhere in the country. Official sources said around 8,500 security personnel had been temporarily withdrawn from Manipur earlier this year for deployment during the West Bengal Assembly elections.

The fresh request comes amid continued security challenges despite the deployment of two CoBRA battalions in June 2026 under a specialised task force named Mission Manipur. An ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy in Ukhrul district on July 6, which killed two personnel, had prompted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to revise its standard operating procedures.

Under the revised guidelines, security forces must use bulletproof vehicles, avoid unplanned movements, sanitise routes before operations and ensure greater accountability among commanders. CoBRA units have also been assigned law-and-order responsibilities alongside their specialised jungle-warfare role.

The latest demand for reinforcements reflects continuing concerns over the security situation, with intermittent violence, ambushes and extortion reported despite the presence of substantial central forces. The conflict between the valley-based Meitei community and the hill-based Kuki-Zo community, which erupted in May 2023, has claimed more than 310 lives and left 49 people missing. Tens of thousands of people have also been displaced.

Buffer zones and movement restrictions have failed to prevent sporadic killings and armed attacks, keeping several areas vulnerable to fresh violence. The situation has grown more volatile since early 2026, with renewed tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga groups in the hill districts adding another layer of complexity to the state’s already fragile security environment.

The pending request for 30 additional CAPF companies now places the Centre’s deployment decision at the centre of Manipur’s efforts to strengthen security and prevent further escalation.