Manipur CM seeks territorial army battalion, meets Rajnath Singh in first Delhi visit after oath

Yumnam Khemchand Singh on February 23 met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, marking his first official interaction with the Defence Minister since taking oath as Manipur’s new BJP Chief Minister on February 4.

Khemchand was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) during the meeting held at the Defence Minister’s office.

During the discussions, the Chief Minister sought the Centre’s support on key defence-related matters concerning the state and urged the Union Minister to consider raising a Territorial Army (TA) battalion for Manipur. The proposal is seen as a significant step towards enhancing local participation in national defence services while strengthening security preparedness in the sensitive border state.

Rajnath Singh assured full assistance from the Defence Ministry in support of the Manipur government’s initiatives and developmental efforts.

The meeting assumes importance as the newly sworn-in Chief Minister moves to consolidate Centre–state coordination on security and strategic issues in Manipur.