Published Paper Details:

Manipur occupies a paradoxical position within India's federal and foreign policy architecture. While geographically peripheral, the state is strategically central to India's eastern frontier and its engagement with Southeast Asia. This article examines how coalition governance in Manipur shapes domestic political stability and, in turn, influences foreign policy implementation at the subnational level. Drawing on literature from coalition politics, federalism, and foreign policy analysis, the article argues that coalition governments in Manipur operate as mediating structures between the Indian state and its external environment, particularly in the context of India-Myanmar relations. Coalition instability, ethnic fragmentation, and centre-state bargaining dynamics affect border management, security cooperation, and connectivity initiatives, thereby producing indirect yet consequential foreign policy outcomes. By situating Manipur within a multi-level foreign policy framework, the article challenges centralised views of Indian foreign policy and demonstrates how subnational political configurations condition the effectiveness and credibility of external engagements. The study contributes to debates on subnational actors in foreign policy and advances a more granular understanding of India's eastern diplomacy.