India’s Northeast Will be Gateway to South-East Asia

August 9, 2026

With its vast potential across multiple sectors, India’s Northeast can emerge as a major economic powerhouse for the nation and transform the region into a true gateway to Southeast Asia.

The persistent unrest in Manipur over the last few years has provided an opportunity to many “inimical international and national forces” in India and abroad to intensify efforts aimed at destabilising the region, with the broader objective of weakening India and hindering it from becoming a superpower.

There is a need to step up efforts to strengthen security and promote prosperity.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, China was providing physical training and weapons to Manipuri insurgent groups like the PLA — whose then-leader, Biseswor Singh, had told me personally after he had gone to China with a group for training and weapons — PREPAK, etc., and to NSCN from Nagaland.

And now, its increasing economic cooperation with Myanmar and, more recently, with Bangladesh, is not a good sign for India in the Northeast.

The visit of the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh to China some time back is a pointer to this, as an agreement regarding the Teesta Project was finalised.

Myanmar has, by default, become a source of instability for India, as the military junta has little control over the regions bordering India, allowing Indian insurgent groups to operate freely from bases across the border.