The 2008 SoO peace arrangement with Kuki- armed groups in Manipur remains at the centre of a political dispute, with the United Naga Council and several Meitei groups pressing for its scrapping and uncertainty growing over the future of negotiations.
BY PC Bureau
October 23, 2026: Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam on Friday declared that no Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups is currently in force, confirming that the pact expired on September 4 and has not been renewed. The announcement comes amid pressure from groups opposed to extending the arrangement and renewed security concerns following the killing of three Meitei youths.
Konthoujam also said that 17 people detained during a joint security operation at the Sinai relief camp in Kangpokpi district would be formally arrested for further investigation, including to establish their identities and organisational affiliations.
The operation by the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Manipur Police found 18 people at the camp. Only one has so far been identified as a cadre of the Kuki National Front (KNF), while the identities and affiliations of the remaining 17 are being verified, the minister said.
“The 17 detained persons will be formally arrested today for further investigation and to establish which organisations they belong to,” Konthoujam told reporters.
The operation followed the shooting of three Meitei youths by unidentified armed assailants in the Sunurok hills on Monday. Security forces are continuing efforts to trace those responsible. Police had earlier detained three suspects, two of whom allegedly confessed to involvement in the attack. One is suspected to be a cadre of the KNF (N). All three remain under interrogation.
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Since the SoO agreement has not been extended, it can be considered that there is currently no SoO : Home Minister K. Govindas
#ManipurCrisis #khamenlok #kukimilitants https://t.co/seaew2QWtO
— Poknapham / The People’s Chronicle (@PoknaphamNews) October 23, 2026
The SoO agreement was a tripartite arrangement involving the Centre, the Manipur government and Kuki armed groups represented by two umbrella organisations — the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front (UPF). It was formally signed on August 22, 2008, following earlier ceasefire arrangements, with the aim of halting hostilities and facilitating political dialogue. The agreement was designed to run for one year at a time, subject to extension.
Pressure Over SoO Renewal
The SoO agreement had become a flashpoint in Manipur, with opposing demands over its continuation. The United Naga Council (UNC) had urged the Centre to scrap the pact with Kuki militant groups, particularly the Kuki National Front (P), amid escalating Naga-Kuki tensions and killings in the hill districts. During a meeting with central government representatives in September, the UNC was reportedly informed that the agreement had expired on September 4 and had not been renewed.
Konthoujam’s statement on Friday has now made the Manipur government’s position clear: the SoO agreement is no longer in force. However, its expiry and non-renewal do not, by themselves, amount to a formal declaration that political negotiations with the groups have been permanently abandoned.
