State Securitization and Internal Ethnic Conflicts in India: Re-visiting the Naga Imbroglio

International relations has systematically theorized the causes and dynamics of violent internal conflicts since the last quarter of the nineteenth century. India has internally grappled with internal ethnic turmoil since the immediate post-independence era. It has historically both used, and justified the use of, armed forces to tackle insurgencies as existential threats to national security. As India marches ahead to emerge as a major global power, these conflict zones jettison India’s domestic stability and democratic credentials, and also render tense relations with immediate neighbours in South Asia. Insurgent activity of the Nagas in India’s northeast, which has continued for over 60 years now, is also India’s first experiment in armed intervention and counter-insurgency. Establishing a causal link between securitization theory postulated by the Copenhagen School of Security Studies and internal ethnic conflicts, the paper examines the state securitization of the Naga crisis, delineating its causes and conditions. The Naga discourse of resisting assimilation into the Indian state based on ethnic origins and geographical isolation, and its gradual fragmentation into moderates and radicals are highlighted. The paper also audits the state securitization of the Naga crisis by examining the political realities of the 1990s, dynamics and consequences of the indefinite ceasefire, and critical reflections of the civil society members who demand inclusion in the ongoing peace process as stakeholders.