Security agencies across Northeast India have reported a major crackdown on terrorism in 2025, with around 500 terrorists arrested during the year. Officials say the operations were spread across Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura, showing that the threat is not limited to one state but affects the entire region.
Amid fragile peace in Manipur, 500 insurgents held across North-East in 2025 @animesh0712 reports https://t.co/Qfo1kSBuKt
— The Tribune (@thetribunechd) January 22, 2026
According to sources in the security setup, forces carried out several high-impact operations that led to the recovery of a massive stock of arms and explosives.
During the year, nearly 1,900 grenades, more than 300 bombs, dozens of rockets, about 1,400 IEDs, almost 20,000 detonators, and a large quantity of gelatine sticks were seized. Officials say this clearly shows that terrorists continue to have access to dangerous weapons, despite constant monitoring.
Alongside weapons, drugs have been a big concern. In 2025 alone, about 3,000 kg of narcotics were seized from the Northeast states. Illegal poppy cultivation has expanded in parts of Manipur, especially near the Myanmar border.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has flagged drugs as the next big challenge for internal security in the region, linking narco networks with terrorist funding.
Although the violent incidents in Manipur have reduced compared to previous phases of ethnic unrest, the situation on the ground is still tense and unstable. Within this month, texplosions were reported in the Bishnupur district, including one at a fuel station and another at an abandoned house, causing panic among residents.
Sources stated that several terrorist groups under the Suspension of Operations pact have been asked to stay inside designated camps and return weapons looted during nearly three years of unrest.
The scale of recent recoveries suggests the situation remains highly volatile, not only in Manipur but also in neighbouring states of Northeast India.
