Centre likely to appoint a Minister of State for Home Affairs to fast-track Naga peace talks as Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio presses for high-level political engagement, PAP relaxation, and a balanced Free Movement Regime along the India-Myanmar border.
The Union government is likely to appoint a Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs to lead the next phase of the long-pending Naga peace talks, with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) expected to take a more proactive role in advancing negotiations. Officials familiar with the developments said on Friday that the move signals renewed political engagement from the Centre to push the peace process forward.
The development follows a high-level visit by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to New Delhi earlier this week, where he led an official delegation and held separate meetings with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and other senior Union leaders. The meetings focused on the status of the Naga political issue and several key administrative and security-related concerns affecting the northeastern state.
During the meeting with the Union Home Minister, Nagaland’s Members of Parliament Supongmeren Jamir (Lok Sabha) and Phangnon Konyak (Rajya Sabha) were also present. Both MPs participated in their capacity as members of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) Sub-Committee on the Naga political issue, underscoring the collective political effort to revive stalled negotiations.
According to a senior Nagaland government official, the discussions were guided by the four-point resolutions adopted during a consultative meeting on the Naga political issue held on September 12, 2024. Chief Minister Rio reiterated the state government’s position that the peace talks must be restored at the highest political level to achieve meaningful progress.
“The Chief Minister strongly emphasized the need to appoint an interlocutor of political or ministerial rank to expedite the dialogue and work towards an early, honourable, and inclusive solution to the Naga political issue,” the official said.
In response, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly expressed a positive outlook and indicated that a Minister of State for Home Affairs, along with senior MHA officers, would be entrusted with the responsibility of taking the peace talks forward. This would mark a shift from the current arrangement, under which A.K. Mishra, Adviser to the MHA on Northeast Affairs, has been holding discussions with various Naga groups, including the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM).
Beyond the peace talks, the Chief Minister also raised concerns regarding the re-imposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland and the revised guidelines of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar border.
The PAP, imposed under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, regulates the entry of foreign nationals into designated areas of Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. The Nagaland Cabinet deliberated on the re-imposition of PAP on January 6, 2025, following which the state government formally requested the MHA on January 22, 2025, to review the decision and restore the earlier relaxation granted to the state.
The issue was subsequently revisited by the Cabinet on December 16, 2025, and again on February 3, 2026. On both occasions, the state government resolved to pursue the matter with the Centre and seek complete relaxation of the PAP regime in Nagaland. Chief Minister Rio also wrote four separate letters to the Centre between July 2025 and November 28, 2025, urging a reconsideration of the policy.
Amit Shah assured the Chief Minister that the Home Ministry would examine the matter positively, the official said.
The Chief Minister further highlighted the complexities surrounding the Free Movement Regime, noting that Nagaland shares a 215-kilometre unfenced international border with Myanmar. The border cuts across Naga-inhabited areas, dividing communities that have shared deep-rooted social, cultural, and economic ties for generations.
“These communities depend on regular cross-border movement for agriculture, traditional practices, and family obligations,” the official said, adding that abrupt restrictions have caused hardship to border residents.
The Nagaland Cabinet first discussed the revised FMR guidelines on January 6, 2025, after which the state government sought restoration of the earlier framework. In a letter dated July 18, 2025, Chief Minister Rio flagged the distress caused by the revised guidelines and requested a more flexible and context-sensitive approach that balances national security concerns with traditional rights and livelihoods.
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The matter was again reviewed by the Cabinet on February 3, 2026, with the state government deciding to urge the MHA to re-examine the revised FMR norms in light of Nagaland’s unique demographic and cultural realities.
According to officials, the Union Home Minister gave a patient hearing to all representations and assured that the Centre would adopt a constructive and positive approach in addressing the concerns raised by the Nagaland government.
