The conflict in Manipur, ongoing since May 2023, represents one of India's most severe ethnic-religious crises in recent decades, pitting the predominantly Hindu Meitei community in the Imphal Valley against the mostly Christian Kuki-Zo tribes in the surrounding hills. What began as protests over the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe status— which Kukis feared would enable land encroachment on their ancestral territories— rapidly escalated into widespread violence, including the destruction of over 200-300 churches, the displacement of more than 60,000 people (primarily Christian Kukis), and at least 180-200 deaths. Reports document Meitei mobs systematically targeting Kuki villages, burning homes and places of worship, with even some churches attended by Meitei Christians attacked, revealing a religious dimension that compounds ethnic grievances.

Recent protests by Hindu Meitei women and groups have demanded government intervention against alleged Kuki militant actions, including bombings that killed children, framing the Christian minority as instigators. This mirrors earlier cycles where Kuki communities highlighted targeted sexual violence, such as the parading of women by Meitei mobs, and state complicity or inaction. Christian advocacy organizations note that over 300 churches were razed in the initial weeks, with Hindu extremist elements exploiting the chaos to pressure Meitei Christian converts to reconvert.

This underreported dynamic challenges India's mainstream narrative of multicultural harmony under a majoritarian framework. The BJP-led state government has faced accusations of bias toward the Meitei majority, while the conflict's persistence into 2025-2026— with renewed clashes, road blockades, and mutual accusations— exposes deeper fractures in the Northeast. Connections to broader Hindutva mobilization are evident in how identity-based demands for land, reservations, and cultural dominance have religious undertones, echoing patterns seen elsewhere in India where minority Christian communities face increasing scrutiny. Meitei Christians themselves report being caught in the crossfire, suspected by their own ethnic group for perceived alignment with Kukis due to faith. The violence has displaced tens of thousands into refugee camps, destroyed entire villages, and eroded trust in institutions, suggesting that without addressing root causes of demographic anxiety and resource competition, Manipur could foreshadow wider religious polarization in India's border regions.