Centre Rushes Security Forces to Arunachal Pradesh

The Centre has initiated urgent arrangements to airlift around 250 Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel from Navi Mumbai to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh following violent protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. The deployment comes after attacks on public property and political establishments raised concerns about further unrest in the region.

Sources said the Ministry of Defence has been asked to arrange suitable Indian Air Force aircraft to transport two RAF companies to Pasighat at the earliest opportunity. Additional security personnel may also be deployed, depending on the evolving situation and operational requirements.

The immediate objective is to reinforce local security arrangements, contain further violence and help the administration restore order. However, the proposed deployment also brings the underlying dispute over one of the region's largest planned hydropower developments into sharper focus.

Violence Erupts After Statewide Bandh

The latest unrest followed a 12-hour bandh on October 23 across Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts. Protesters opposed the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, citing concerns about its potential effects on local communities, land and the environment.

Violence broke out in Pasighat on Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday. Reports said the office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) was set ablaze. A police station, police vehicles and other properties were also attacked or damaged.

The residences of Arunachal Pradesh BJP president Kaling Moyong and legislators Ninong Ering and Oni Panyang were reportedly targeted. The office of Adi Baane Kebang, a prominent organisation representing the Adi community, was also vandalised.

The incidents marked a serious escalation in tensions surrounding the project. Damage to government property, attacks on police infrastructure and the targeting of political figures have increased pressure on authorities to prevent further confrontations.

Administration Tightens Restrictions

In response to the violence, the East Siang district administration imposed prohibitory restrictions in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin.

The measures prohibit gatherings of more than five people and restrict rallies, marches and public meetings without prior written permission. Authorities have also prohibited the carrying of weapons and objects that could be used as weapons.

The proposed RAF deployment is expected to strengthen the security presence as officials assess the situation. The force specialises in responding to riots, communal disturbances and other serious public order emergencies.

The scale and timing of the planned airlift indicate that authorities want additional personnel in place quickly. Whether further reinforcements will be required will depend on conditions on the ground and the administration's assessment of the threat of renewed violence.

Siang Project Faces Local Opposition

At the centre of the dispute is the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project on the Siang River. With a planned capacity of 11,200 megawatts, the project is among the major hydropower developments proposed for Arunachal Pradesh.

Support for large hydropower projects often rests on their potential to expand electricity generation and support long-term infrastructure development. But in the Siang region, opposition has focused on the possible consequences for inhabited areas, ancestral lands, livelihoods and ecologically sensitive locations.

Local groups have raised fears of submergence and displacement, alongside concerns about environmental damage and the future of indigenous communities. Opposition has also extended to preliminary survey activities associated with the project.

Protesters have demanded the release of arrested activists and a review of the process surrounding the proposed development. These demands reflect a broader dispute over how major infrastructure projects should proceed in areas where land, cultural identity and local consent are closely connected.

The Siang River enters India from Tibet and flows through Arunachal Pradesh before joining the Brahmaputra river system. Its ecological and economic importance, along with its cultural significance for local communities, has made the proposed project particularly contentious.

Security Response Cannot Settle the Project Dispute

The planned airlift of RAF personnel is an immediate response to a deteriorating law-and-order situation. Additional forces may help prevent further attacks and create conditions for normal activity to resume.

But security measures alone cannot resolve the objections driving the protests. The administration faces the parallel task of maintaining public order and addressing concerns over displacement, environmental risks, survey work and the future of the proposed project.

The coming days will test whether the deployment can prevent another outbreak of violence. They will also show whether authorities can create space for meaningful engagement with affected communities.

For now, the priority is to restore order in East Siang. The longer-term challenge is to address the dispute over the Siang project without allowing tensions to escalate further.