Rethinking Underdevelopment in Manipur: Intersections of Conflict and Development

Abstract

This paper critically interrogates the dominant "statist" narrative that attributes Manipur’s underdevelopment primarily to insurgency and perceived "law and order" deficits. It disagrees with the reductionist view that insurgent activity constitutes the principal impediment to economic and social progress. Drawing on historical and empirical evidence, the analysis demonstrates that underdevelopment in Manipur predates and persists independently of armed conflict, indicating that structural inequalities, political marginalization, and chronic governance deficits are the more fundamental determinants of stagnation. The study further situates these dynamics within broader patterns of state neglect and uneven development, highlighting how systemic exclusion has perpetuated socio-economic disparities over time.

The paper reconceptualizes insurgency not merely as a barrier to development but as a complex political instrument shaped by elite interests. It argues that armed resistance has, paradoxically, compelled central authorities to engage with the state and allocate resources, while simultaneously serving as a mechanism through which entrenched elites obscure systemic corruption and social stratification. Framing conflict through the lens of "Conflict Transformation," the study shows how well-managed contestation can drive positive institutional and social change. Underdevelopment in Manipur is thus presented as less an inevitable consequence of insurgency than a dysfunction of governance and administrative mismanagement, underscoring the need for systemic, informed, and transformative interventions that address the structural and political roots of instability.