Northeast Desk, 27th September: On September 26, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu convened a review meeting to address the longstanding border dispute between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The meeting involved six regional committees formed to expedite the identification and resolution of contested areas along the 804.1-km inter-state boundary.
This initiative follows the historic Namsai Declaration signed on July 15, 2022, by Khandu and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, which aimed to bring a resolution to the decades-old border issue. Under the agreement, the number of disputed villages was reduced from 123 to 86, with the regional committees focusing on six contested districts: Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare, Kamle, Lower Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, and Longding.
During the meeting, Khandu emphasized the urgency of resolving this 70-year-old boundary dispute, stating, “This issue has persisted for too long, and we are committed to resolving it once and for all.” He instructed the regional committees to collaborate closely with their Assam counterparts, asserting that achieving consensus would pave the way for lasting peace between the two states.
Khandu described this as a “golden opportunity” to end the long-standing dispute, warning that without resolution, true peace would remain elusive. The historical context reveals that Arunachal Pradesh, which became a Union Territory in 1972, has argued that several forested areas traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities but were “unilaterally” transferred to Assam.
Following Arunachal Pradesh’s statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee recommended the transfer of certain territories from Assam; however, Assam contested this decision, leading to a prolonged legal battle in the Supreme Court. The current efforts are seen as a significant step towards reconciliation and resolution of the contentious border issue.