Keywords
Conflict
Kukis
Meiteis
Moreh
Nagas
How to Cite
Abstract
The formulation and implementation of India's Look East Policy (Now Act East Policy) in the 1990s by the Government of India led to conflict and contestation between ethnicity-based militant organisations for domination and control of Moreh and its business activities, causing violent inter-ethnic conflicts. For instance, violent conflicts occurred between the Kuki-Naga, Kuki-Tamil, and Kuki-Meitei in the town (Moreh) in different periods, which not only resulted in the loss of lives and properties but also affected the proper functioning of border trade or India’s (Look) Act East Policy. The frequent imposition of bandhs, strikes, and economic blockades along the national highway as a sign of grievance reprisal has disrupted the smooth functioning of border trade between India and Myanmar or India’s Act East. The author used primary and secondary sources, conducted the field survey from January to June 2019, and interviewed leaders of Civil Society Organisations and other relevant individuals for the studies. The data has been qualitatively analysed to understand the problems of India’s Act East Policy due to the presence and operation of various ethnicity-based militant organisations in the border region. It also argues the importance of solving the militancy problems for the smooth functioning of India's (Look) Act East Policy.
References
1. Brass, P. (1991). Ethnicity and Nationalism: Theory and Comparison. Sage Publication, New Delhi.
2. Bureau, P. I. (2014, November 12). English Rendering of the Opening Statement by the Prime Minister at the India-ASEAN Summit. New Delhi: Prime Minister’s Office.
3. Haokip, T. (2013). Essays on the Kuki-Naga Conflict: A Review. Strategic Analysis, 37(2), 251-259. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09700161.2012.755785
4. Haokip, T. (2015). India's Look East Policy: Prospects and Challenges for Northeast India. Studies in Indian Politics, 3(2), 198-211. https://doi.org/10.1177/2321023015601742
5. Henderson, E. (1999). Ethnic Conflict and Cooperation: Encyclopaedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict. Academic Press, San Diego.
6. Horowitz, D. (1985). Ethnic Group in Conflict. University of California Press, Berkeley.
7. India's Look East Policy. (November 2010). Economic and Political Weekly, 54(48).
8. Khating, J. (2005). Indo-Myanmar Border Trade. In G. Das, Indo-Myanmar Border Trade Status, Problems and Potentials. New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House.
9. Laitin, R. B. (1998). Ethnic and Nationalist Violence. Annual Review of Sociology, 24, 423-452. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1146/ANNUREV.SOC.24.1.423
10. Majumdar, M. (2020). India-Myanmar Border Fencing and India's Act East Policy. India Quarterly, 76(1), 58-72.https://doi.org/10.1`177/0974928419901190
11. Mehrotra, L. (2012). India's Look East Policy: Its Origin and Development. Indian Foreign Affairs Journal, Vol. 7(1), 75-85. https://doi.org/ https://www.jstor.org/stable/45341805
12. Moreh Small Town City Population Census 2011-2025. https://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/801496-moreh-manipur.html
13. Rastogi, P. (1993). Ethno-Social Conflict and National Integration. Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi.
14. Sasi, A. (2014, November 13). ‘Look East’ has become ‘Act East Policy, ’ says PM Modi at ASEAN summit. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/look-east-has-become-act-east-policy-pm-modi-at-asean/
15. Singh, N. I. (2018, August 24). Strike hits Moreh trade. Telegraph India. https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/strike-hits-moreh-trade/cid/1432670
16. Singh, S. M. (2009, April-June). Understanding Conflict: An Insight into the Factors Responsible for the Kuki-Naga Clashes in Manipur during the 1990s. The Indian Journal of Political Science, 70(2), 503.
17. Subramanian, N. (2018, September 5). The Road to East: Connecting India, Myanmar and Thai-land; gateway to ASEAN. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-myanmar-frienship-highway-thailand-asean-5335551/
18. Thomas, C. J. (2000). Indo-Myanmar Border Trade, An Assessment on the Moreh-Tamu Sector. In G. & Purkaystha, Border Trade North-East India and Neighbouring Countries (p. 153). New Delhi: Akansha Publications.
19. Varshney, A. (2001). Ethnic Conflict and Civil Society: India and Beyond. World Politics, 362-363.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 South India Journal of Social Sciences