India's forgotten east

In 1971, Indira Gandhi decided to support East Pakistan in its endeavour to become a separate state from West Pakistan, creating Bangladesh as a new nation. The untenable creation of these two entities came to a halt.

If you look at a map of the Indian peninsula it becomes clear how the area east of the “Chicken’s Neck” became a forgotten part of India. The territory also constitutes an ethnically and culturally differentiated cluster of the, in many ways, heterogeneous nation. The so-called “Seven Sisters” constitute an area that has many of the prerequisites of a separate entity. The parallel timeline where it is a country of its own lies in proximity to our current.

This is a fact not so far fully taken seriously by the central government. By not doing so they are making a mistake that, in time, could be proven monumental.

Other countries and actors in the region see this vast neglected landmass as up for grabs. Arunachal Pradesh is claimed as South Tibet by the Chinese. To the south, different increasingly, powerful actors are consolidating control in what was formerly known as Myanmar. Their power could at any time be turned northward through the states of Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing or Kachin. Ethnically and territorially their claims southward could, in their view, be equally valid to the north.

The character of these actors achievements means some have substantial nation-level backing.

After militias in Myanmar have consolidated their southern gains they could look northward. This shift could be swift and is at the moment not sufficiently countered.

I have previously written about this part of India and that it in certain ways resembles the partition of West and East Pakistan. If I wanted to weaken India this would be the part of the country I would have focused on. A forgotten part, and in many ways diversified from the rest of the country, it constitutes an easy target. Breaking of this territory, or parts of it, from India could be considered a low-hanging, long-term strategy, geopolitical fruit

The step-by-step process to make this happen has already begun. It is, in most cases, better to halt such processes early.

The greatest defence in this regard would be a situation where the “Seven Sisters” see their further integration with India as their best path forward and that this is tangible for all. This is presently not the case.

There are plans for this part of the world. India should move from reacting to shaping their own future. This is not currently the case, even inside India’s own territory.

Update 2025-04-04: Changed “The character of these actors achievements means they have substantial nationlevel backing” to “The character of these actors achievements means some have substantial nationlevel backing”

and: “Breaking of this territory from India could be considered a low hanging long-term strategy geopolitical fruit” to “Breaking of this territory, or parts of it, from India could be considered a low-hanging long-term strategy geopolitical fruit”

Update 2026-08-25: Changed “To the south, different increasingly, powerful actors are consolidating power in what was formerly known as Myanmar.” to “To the south, different increasingly, powerful actors are consolidating control in what was formerly known as Myanmar.

Update 2026-08-25: Corrected grammar and spelling (going through old posts using a new tool). The content of the text was not changed in any way.