The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was founded by N. Bisheswar Singh on September 25, 1978. It is a separatist armed revolutionary group fighting for a separate independent socialist state of Manipur. It was the first organization from Manipur to have been trained by the China's People Liberation Army at Lhasa in the eighties. It was also trained by the NSCN in Myanmar during this time.
Since its founding, it has been waging a guerrilla based warfare against the Indian Armed Forces and has targeted the Indian Army, Paramilitary Forces and the State Police Force. However during the late nineties, it declared a unilateral decision not to target the Manipur Police.
The death of some top leaders in combat (like President Thoudam Kunjabehari in 1982), and the arrest of others (like N. Bishewar, arrested in 1981) decreased its military activity in the eighties. In 1989, a political wing called the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) was formed. The RPF formed a government in exile in Bangladesh, led by Irengbam Chaoren, and began a restructuring of the organisation. The Organization become very active. Its operation was divided into four sections: Sadar Valley West Hill areas of Manipur, Sadar Hill areas in the east Valley, Hill areas of Manipur and Imphal valley, each with a commander, and other ranks.
The organization has an estimated strength of some 3800 as on 2008.
PLA is also a member of the Manipur Peoples Liberation Front, an umbrella organization of three separatist organization of Manipur namely UNLF and PREPAK
Their flag is red with the emblem on the center.