Manipur CM Singh chairs NCORD meet, vows to dismantle drug networks
Synopsis
Manipur's drug war has a geography problem: 398 km of unfenced Myanmar border across five districts, with Chin State syndicates exploiting every gap. CM Singh's NCORD review signals intent, but with only 50 km of border fenced and 80 km under construction, the structural vulnerability that fuels Northeast India's narcotics corridor remains largely intact.
Key Takeaways
Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh chaired an NCORD review meeting at the Civil Secretariat, Imphal on 16 June 2025 .
The meeting focused on intelligence sharing, inter-agency coordination, and enforcement against drug trafficking networks.
Five Manipur districts share a 398-km unfenced border with Myanmar , a primary smuggling route for narcotics.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has fenced 50 km of the India-Myanmar border; work on an additional 80 km is under way.
CM Singh raised border security concerns at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi on 11 June .
Senior officials from Assam Rifles , BSF , and CRPF attended the NCORD review alongside state leadership.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Tuesday, 16 June chaired a high-level meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) at the Civil Secretariat, Imphal, reaffirming the state government's commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and building a drug-free Manipur. The review meeting brought together top security officials and central agency representatives to assess the state's anti-narcotics posture.
Key Developments at the NCORD Review
According to a senior official of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the meeting focused on strengthening intelligence sharing, improving inter-agency coordination, and intensifying enforcement actions against drug syndicates operating in and around the state. Chief Minister Singh later stated on social media that the government would press ahead with coordinated enforcement efforts against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh, Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Singh, Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, and senior officials from the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The Border Challenge: Manipur's 398-km Vulnerability
Manipur's anti-drug challenge is structurally rooted in its geography. Five districts — Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong, and Ukhrul — share a 398-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar, providing transnational drug syndicates with porous entry points into India.
Myanmar's Chin State has emerged as a significant hub for narcotics, exotic wildlife products, and other contraband. Neighbouring Mizoram faces a similar challenge, with six of its districts sharing a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar — together making the Northeast India corridor one of the most active drug-trafficking routes in South Asia.
What the Centre Is Doing
Addressing the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting in New Delhi on 11 June, Chief Minister Singh highlighted the security and law-and-order challenges arising from the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, calling for stronger border management, enhanced surveillance, and coordinated action against drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking.
Singh informed the council that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has completed fencing of 50 km of the India-Myanmar border, with construction on an additional 80 km stretch already under way. This comes amid longstanding demands from border states for accelerated fencing of the full frontier.
What Happens Next
The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government will continue working closely with central agencies and security forces to sustain anti-drug operations. With Myanmar's internal conflict showing no signs of abating, cross-border smuggling pressure on Manipur and Mizoram is expected to remain elevated. The pace of border fencing and the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination will be the key metrics to watch in the months ahead.
Point of View
Strong language, inter-agency resolve. What it does not address is the structural driver: only 50 km of a 398-km border has been fenced, and Myanmar's civil war is pushing more armed non-state actors, and more contraband, toward Indian territory. Coordination meetings matter, but they cannot substitute for physical border infrastructure. Until the fencing programme accelerates substantially, Manipur's drug problem will remain a geography problem dressed up as a law enforcement one.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was decided at the Manipur NCORD meeting on 16 June 2025?
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, reviewed measures to strengthen intelligence sharing, inter-agency coordination, and enforcement actions against drug trafficking networks. No specific new policy was announced, but the government reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling drug syndicates operating along the Myanmar border.
Why is Manipur a major drug trafficking corridor?
Manipur shares a 398-km largely unfenced international border with Myanmar across five districts — Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong, and Ukhrul. Transnational drug syndicates, particularly those operating from Myanmar's Chin State, exploit these porous frontiers to smuggle narcotics and other contraband into India.
How much of the India-Myanmar border has been fenced?
According to Chief Minister Singh, the Ministry of Home Affairs has completed fencing of 50 km of the India-Myanmar border. Construction on an additional 80 km stretch is already under way, though the total border length runs to hundreds of kilometres.
Who attended the NCORD review meeting in Imphal?
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh, DGP Mukesh Singh, Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, and senior officials from the Assam Rifles, BSF, and CRPF, along with other key anti-narcotics stakeholders.
What did CM Singh say at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting?
Addressing the NITI Aayog Governing Council in New Delhi on 11 June, CM Singh highlighted security challenges arising from the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and called for stronger border management, enhanced surveillance, and coordinated action against drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking along the international border.
