Guwahati: Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh has hailed the setting up a high-level committee to study the demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons by centre on Tuesday as a “historic step,” linking it directly to the anxieties of Manipur and border states.For Manipur, this is not an abstract exercise as it cuts to the heart of the ongoing ethnic conflict. For years, the influx of people from Myanmar has been a major point of contention. Meitei groups argue that unchecked migration has altered the demographic balance, fuelling insecurity and competition over land and resources. Kuki groups, many of whom share ethnic ties across the border, see these accusations as targeting their community. The result has been spiralling mistrust and violent clashes.The state government in a statement said that the chief minister noted that the high-powered demography mission announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2025 and union cabinet’s approval a month later “represents a historic and long-awaited intervention for the people of Manipur and other border states.”The state govt stated that Manipur CM has appreciated union home minister Amit Shah’s statement that demographic change is a serious problem linked not only to India’s sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, major changes in the social structure, and the protection of tribal societies.The CM has assured that the Manipur government “will extend full cooperation to the high-level committee, which will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the demographic changes occurring across India due to illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons,” the state govt saidThe centre on Tuesday named Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar (Retd.) as chairman of the committee, which also have retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retried IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and Dr Shamika Ravi as members. The joint secretary (Foreigners-I) in MHA will be the member secretary of the committee, which is expected to submit its report within one yearThe committee will comprehensively deliberate upon the challenges arising from demographic changes, including illegal immigration, study the possible causes of such demographic changes, such as cross-border activities (including illegal immigration), economic opportunities, and other socio-environmental factors, identify the underlying factors behind these changes, which include illegal immigration, abnormal settlement patterns, and orchestrated migration.The committee will analyse structural population changes at the level of religious or social communities, particularly where they deviate from broader trends and recommend a streamlined and permanent operational mechanism for the legal, fair, and time-bound identification, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants already residing in the country.The committee has also been mandated to recommend an appropriate institutional mechanism to strengthen border management, population stabilization, and identification systems for the continuous monitoring of such trends.Besides, the committee will propose a comprehensive policy framework to enhance coordination between the central and state governments on matters related to illegal immigration and the resulting demographic imbalances.