Lieutenant General Girish Kalia, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Spear Corps, visited a forward post of the Assam Rifles in Manipur on 15 October 2026 to review the prevailing security situation along the India-Myanmar border. Local commanders briefed him on the operational preparedness of troops guarding one of India's most porous and contested frontier stretches.

Border Fencing: Progress and Challenges

India shares a 1,643 km border with Myanmar, of which 398 km fall in Manipur. Fencing work is underway, with approximately 55 km completed in Manipur so far. The government has set a target to complete the full fencing by 2028, but progress has been hampered by difficult terrain — large stretches are hilly and densely forested — and active resistance from militant outfits that exploit the border to move between the two countries.

Recent Attacks on Assam Rifles

The GOC's visit comes against a backdrop of escalating violence against the paramilitary force. In July 2026, two soldiers were killed when a convoy was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, close to the India-Myanmar border. Separately, an Assam Rifles patrol was ambushed in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh at a site where fencing work was in progress, leaving one soldier dead.

Political Pressure and Community Allegations

The visit also coincides with intensifying political criticism of the Assam Rifles from multiple communities. Valley-based Meitei groups have been demanding the ouster of the force from Manipur, accusing it of favouritism towards the hill-based Kuki-Zo community and alleging it failed to manage the ongoing ethnic conflict effectively. The Naga community has also raised concerns following recent clashes between Kuki and Naga groups.

On 15 October 2026 — even as Lt Gen Kalia was visiting — Leishiyo Keishing, the Naga People's Front MLA from Phungyar, accused 11 Assam Rifles of dereliction of duty. Keishing alleged the unit failed to intervene when residents of Chassad allegedly blocked public movement at the Kamjong market, using stones and large objects to obstruct roads at two locations. The blockade stranded nearly 20 vehicles, including the MLA's convoy, for approximately two hours.

The blockade was eventually lifted after intervention by Kamjong Police, the Border Security Force (BSF), and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel. A Casspir armoured vehicle was deployed to clear the obstructions. Keishing further alleged that Assam Rifles personnel had been focused on commercial activities rather than their assigned security duties.

Assam Rifles Outreach Efforts

Over the days preceding the GOC's visit, the Assam Rifles has reportedly made overtures to both Naga and Kuki community leaders in an effort to ease inter-community tensions. Whether those efforts will bear fruit remains to be seen, given the layers of distrust from all sides.

What Comes Next

With border fencing behind schedule, militant ambushes continuing, and multi-community political pressure mounting against the Assam Rifles, the Centre faces difficult decisions on force deployment, community engagement, and accelerating infrastructure work on the Myanmar frontier. The GOC's review is likely to feed into operational assessments that will shape security strategy in the region in the months ahead.