The Anglo-Manipur War or Manipuri Rebellion of 1891 was a short armed conflict between the British Colonial Forces and the dissenting royal princes of Manipur Kingdom, which was arguably a dependency of the British Empire in India. The conflict began with a palace coup staged by the general (Senapati) of Manipur, ousting its reigning king, and installing a half-brother, the heir-apparent, in his place. The British government took objection to the action and attempted to arrest the general. The effort failed, with the Manipuri forces attacking the British residency and the resident and other British officials getting executed. The British launched a punitive expedition that lasted from 31 March to 27 April 1891. The general and other rebels were arrested and convicted. The British conquered Manipur and did not annex it under British India but governed it as a princely state till 1947.

In the First Anglo-Burmese War, the British helped prince Gambhir Singh regain his kingdom of Manipur, which had been heretofore occupied by the Burmese. Subsequently, Manipur became a British protectorate. This was certainly the British view, and is also acknowledged by several scholars. From 1835, the British stationed a Political Agent in Manipur, and succession arrangements were settled by the British Government of India. However, there was no treaty between the British and Manipur confirming these arrangements. Consequently, the Manipuris tended to regard themselves as an independent state.

Manipur had been a frontier state, in fact a "buffer state", against Burma until 1885. With the Third Anglo-Burmese War that year and the British annexation of Upper Burma, Manipur's frontier status had vanished as did its strategic importance. The free supply of arms and ammunition that the British had provided Manipur were gradually reduced and removed.

In 1890, the reigning Maharaja was Surachandra Singh. His half-brother Kulachandra Singh was the jubraj (heir apparent) and another half-brother Tikendrajit Singh was the military commander (senapati). Frank Grimwood was the British Political Agent. Tikendrajit is said to have been the most able of the three siblings, and was also friendly with the Political Agent. According to historian Katherine Prior, the drying up of arms supplies led Tikendrajit to doubt the value of British alliance. Historian Jangkhomang Guite states that, at the same time, the British were contemplating the introduction of reforms in the administration of Manipur, such as abolition of slavery and reform in trade, but Tikendrajit stood in their way.

On 21 September 1890, Tikendrajit Singh led a palace coup, ousting Maharaja Surachandra Singh and installing Kulachandra Singh as the ruler. He also pronounced himself as the new jubraj. Surachandra Singh took refuge in British residency, where Grimwood assisted him to flee the state. The Maharaja had given the impression that he was abdicating the throne but, after reaching the British territory in the neighbouring Assam Province, he recanted and wanted return to the state. Both the Political Agent and the Chief Commissioner of Assam, James Wallace Quinton, dissuaded him from returning.

Surachandra Singh reached Calcutta and appealed to the Government of India, reminding the British of the services he had rendered. On 24 January 1891, the Governor-General instructed the Chief Commissioner of Assam to settle the matter by going to Manipur:

The Governor-General in Council thinks that you should visit Manipur, for the avowed purpose of making, and, if necessary, enforcing, a decision on the merits of the case. You should probably have with you a sufficient force to overcome the conspirators. It is probable that a very small body of troops would be enough, and that sufficient numbers could be taken from Cachar or Kohima.

The Chief Commissioner Quinton persuaded the Government in Calcutta that there would be no use trying to reinstate the Maharaja. This was agreed, but the Government wanted the Senapati Tikendrajit Singh disciplined.