The North East region of India been infested with insurgency for a very long time. Analyze the major reasons for the survival of armed insurgency in this region.

Answer:

For a very long period North-East region played the role of Buffer region. Development had eluded the region. In this background, we have to analyse various complex reasons for survival of armed insurgency in the region.
 

Analysis of major reasons:
 

1. Lack of development of this region is a major reason. Due to this, youth and other sections of population had very limited economic opportunities to explore. They became easy prey to the various insurgent groups who trained them and used them for the purpose of extortions and armed insurgency. 

2. Remoteness and very narrow connectivity through land is another hurdle, which is present till date. Prior to the Independence, the region was connected to mainland through the present-day Bangladesh. But now it is connected to the rest of India through a narrow 23 km-wide Silliguri corridor only. This creates a big hurdle for development agencies to effectively develop the region.

3. Internal connection among the 7 sister States is also in poor state, characterized by hilly terrains and very limited availability of train and road connectivity. Insurgent groups have been able to flourish as it has been tough for Indian military and police forces to neutralize them. 

4. Various kinds of ethnic strife are inherently present in the North-East regions which create a breeding ground for insurgency. So, They reappear again and again. There are various tribal and ethnic groups with clashing interests e.g. Naga, Mizo, Kuki, Bodo. Continuous tussles go on among them, resulting in continuous insurgency.

• There is another tension created by the migration of Bangladeshis. It is specially a major tension in the regions of Assam.
• The sheer number of insurgent groups also makes it very difficult to control them. There are 30 – 50 insurgent groups in which about 20 groups are active at any time.
• Some separatist elements also get external support; long and porous international boundaries make it difficult to control insurgency hence they are continuing for very long time.
• Administrative apathy is another reason which fuels armed insurgency. Coercive methods of policing including laws like Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) are imposed. These prevent integration of local population with development agencies. Hence, armed insurgent groups find favourable ground.
  
  Lack of development is not only hindering the trade and business opportunities but affecting every aspect of the Indian citizens of North East India. Only few medical colleges and engineering colleges are there. Most of the regions are not even having higher education institutions for normal graduation. This fuels the feeling of alienation among the society of North East.
  
   

But, now the interest in North East development has revived and soon there will be effects of two pronged strategy to curb armed insurgency with development and strict law & order.