The NIA has found no evidence linking arrested foreign nationals to militant training for activity in Manipur. Investigations indicate the group’s alleged operations were centred in Myanmar’s Chin State, involving training of ethnic armed groups fighting the junta.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, March 19, 2026: The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) arrest of seven foreign nationals—six Ukrainians and American Matthew Aaron VanDyke—has fueled speculation about foreign involvement in Manipur’s ethnic conflict. However, official records and court filings make it clear that there is no evidence the group trained or assisted militants in Manipur or played any role in the state’s ongoing violence. Instead, the investigation focuses on alleged activities across the border in Myanmar.
Of the six Ukrainian nationals in the custody of the NIA , three were detained at Delhi airport, while the remaining three were apprehended at Lucknow airport by NIA teams. The American citizen, Matthew Aaron VanDyke, was held at Kolkata airport in West Bengal, a key transit hub for India’s eastern and northeastern regions.
Court documents reveal one Ukrainian national is part of a larger group of 14 who entered India on tourist visas on separate dates, flying to Guwahati—Assam’s capital and a Northeast hub. It remains unclear if VanDyke links directly to them; NIA is probing entry routes and restricted-area access.
What the NIA Actually Alleges
According to the NIA’s FIR and court submissions, the group:
- Entered India on tourist visas
- Travelled to Mizoram (a restricted/protected area) without the required Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Protected Area Permit (PAP)
- Illegally crossed into Myanmar’s Chin State
- Provided training to Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs) in drone warfare, including assembly, operations, jamming technology, and weapons handling
- Smuggled or facilitated “huge consignments” of drones imported from Europe, routed through India to Myanmar
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The agency describes the training as targeting groups fighting Myanmar’s junta, some of which may have indirect links to insurgent networks affecting India. Crucially, no official document mentions training conducted in Manipur—or anywhere in India—nor references Kuki militant groups as direct beneficiaries.
No Direct Link to Manipur Violence
Investigators have produced no evidence—such as seized equipment, testimonies, or intelligence intercepts—connecting the accused to militant activity in Manipur. Claims on social media about “foreign trainers” aiding Kuki militants remain unverified and unsupported by NIA findings.
Some Manipur leaders have tried to link the arrests to the ethnic conflict. Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh suggested foreign nationals played a role in training Kuki militants. On March 19, Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho called it a “very dangerous situation” for the state, urging urgent action: “This is a very serious matter. The government has to be very proactive… it is one of the most dangerous situations for our state.”
The Kuki Angle: Indirect and Unproven
The only connection discussed is indirect:
- Ethnic ties exist between Chin groups in Myanmar and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur and Mizoram
- Some Myanmar-based armed groups have historical or informal links with insurgent outfits in India, including both Kuki-Zo elements and Imphal-valley based groups
- Certain groups trained in Myanmar may be part of wider cross-border networks
These represent broad regional linkages, not evidence of direct training or involvement in Manipur’s conflict.
Focus Remains on Myanmar
The case centers on Myanmar’s Chin State, where anti-junta groups like the Chin National Defence Force operate. All alleged training, equipment movement, and activity linked to the accused occurred outside India.
Amid Manipur’s ethnic tensions—where foreign interference rumors abound—experts caution against conflating issues. The probe highlights cross-border activity tied to Myanmar’s conflict, with India as a transit route. No substantiated evidence shows the arrested nationals trained militants in Manipur or fueled the state’s violence. Until concrete proof emerges, such claims remain speculation.
