Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
Framework and India's Response
India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have domestic legislation specifically addressing IDPs. The UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998, drafted by Francis Deng) define IDPs as persons forced to flee their homes but who have not crossed an international border. India's approach to internal displacement has historically been ad hoc, relying on state-level disaster relief mechanisms and executive orders rather than a comprehensive IDP policy.
- UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998): 30 principles covering protection, humanitarian assistance, and return/resettlement; non-binding but widely referenced
- India's IDP situation: Multiple ongoing displacements — Manipur (ethnic violence), Kashmir (conflict-related), Northeast (periodic ethnic clashes), development-induced displacement
- Manipur IDP numbers: ~62,000 displaced since May 2023; over 300 relief camps established; ~16,500 individuals (3,700 families) resettled as of early 2026
- Rehabilitation target: Government aims to resettle 40,000+ IDPs (10,000+ families) by March 31, 2026
- Financial support: Rs 124 crore released for IDP resettlement; DBT of Rs 84/person/day (from November 1, 2025); 7,000 houses sanctioned under Special PMAY-G
- Deaths: Over 260 killed in the violence since May 2023
● Tracked since February 19, 2026 · last seen March 19, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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