Environmental Impact of Poppy Cultivation in Manipur: Challenges to National Security

Security from external threats has always been the preserve of the State in International Relations. In the last few decades, many theories have been propounded to broaden the perception of security, as the traditional outlook of security cannot comprehend the ever-changing perspective and nature of threats in global politics. The problems of security issues as States were also witnessing newer forms of threats that were not only territorial but also social, economic, and transnational in nature. Such developments not only indicate the death knell of the traditional mode of thinking but also call for a rethinking of ‘widening’ or ‘redefining’ the concept of ‘security’. This article is an attempt to critically analyse non-traditional security threats and issues of drug trafficking and the environmental impact of poppy cultivation in Northeast India, particularly in Manipur. Furthermore, it investigates the collateral damage to national security.