Operation Hot Pursuit: How India Took Revenge for the Manipur Attack
In the dense hills of India’s northeastern state of Manipur, a brutal ambush on June 4, 2015, shattered the relative calm along the India-Myanmar border and triggered one of the Indian Army’s most decisive cross-border responses in recent history.
The attack targeted a convoy from the 6 Dogra Regiment during a routine road-opening patrol along the Tengnoupal–New Samtal Road in Chandel district, near the porous border with Myanmar. Militants from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K), operating under the banner of the newly formed United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), struck with precision. They detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to disable vehicles, then unleashed a barrage of gunfire, rocket-propelled grenades, and automatic weapons.
The assault claimed the lives of 18 Indian soldiers (some reports cite up to 20), with around 10 to 15 others wounded. It ranked among the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in the Northeast in over two decades. The insurgents, who had recently ended a ceasefire agreement with the Indian government, quickly retreated across the border into Myanmar, where they maintained safe havens, training camps, and logistical support.
The ambush ignited widespread outrage across India. Families mourned the fallen jawans, public anger surged, and political leaders faced intense pressure to deliver a strong, visible retaliation rather than limit operations to defensive pursuits within Indian territory.
Just five days later, on June 9, 2015, the Indian Army launched Operation Hot Pursuit—a swift, covert cross-border raid authorized at the highest levels, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and overseen by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Approximately 70 elite commandos from the 21 Para (Special Forces) unit were deployed. Inserted near the border (with initial helicopter support from HAL Dhruv aircraft), the troops trekked through thick jungle terrain, crossing 3–5 kilometers into Myanmar. Their targets were two insurgent camps linked to NSCN-K (and possibly allied groups like KYKL), used for training recruits and planning attacks into India.
The ground assault unfolded rapidly, lasting about 40 minutes. Commandos employed small arms, grenades, and other precision weapons to overwhelm the positions. The camps were destroyed—structures razed, arms caches eliminated, and infrastructure set ablaze in some accounts. Indian sources reported around 38 insurgents killed (with estimates ranging from 30 to 50 in various reports), several more injured, and no casualties among the raiding force. The commandos withdrew the same day, returning safely to Indian soil.
Officials described the operation as a measured “hot pursuit” to neutralize threats at their source, taking advantage of Myanmar’s tacit understanding of shared concerns over cross-border insurgency. Myanmar did not publicly confirm the incursion but maintained cooperative relations with India on security matters. The NSCN-K dismissed the reported casualties and challenged India to provide evidence.
Operation Hot Pursuit marked a notable shift in India’s counter-insurgency strategy in the Northeast. It demonstrated a willingness for limited, proactive cross-border actions against groups exploiting neighboring territory as sanctuary—setting a precedent for later high-profile operations, such as the 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri attack or the 2019 Balakot airstrike.
The operation underscored the persistent challenges of insurgency in India’s Northeast, fueled by ethnic separatist demands, porous borders, and fragmented militant alliances. While it delivered a strong message of resolve, the underlying issues of Naga sovereignty and regional stability continue to demand diplomatic and security efforts. For the families of the fallen soldiers and the nation at large, Operation Hot Pursuit stood as a direct act of retribution, ensuring that attacks on Indian forces would not go unanswered.
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