New Delhi/Kohima, Feb 6 (IANS) The Centre is likely to appoint a Minister of State for Home Affairs to spearhead the next phase of the Naga peace talks, with senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) expected to actively engage in advancing the dialogue process, officials said on Friday.
A senior Nagaland government official said that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio led a high-level official delegation to New Delhi earlier this week and held separate meetings with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, among other Union leaders.
During the meeting with the Union Home Minister, Nagaland MPs Supongmeren Jamir (Lok Sabha) and Phangnon Konyak (Rajya Sabha) also participated as members of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) Sub-Committee.
The official said that in line with the four-point resolutions adopted at the consultative meeting on the Naga political issue held on September 12, 2024, the Chief Minister discussed various aspects of the Naga peace talks during his meeting with Shah.
“The Chief Minister reiterated the need to restore talks at the highest political level through the appointment of an interlocutor of political or ministerial rank to expedite the process and work towards an early and honourable solution to the Naga political issue,” the official said.
He added that the Union Home Minister responded positively to the suggestion and indicated that a Minister of State for Home Affairs, along with officers from the MHA, would be appointed to take forward the Naga talks.
Currently, A.K. Mishra, Adviser to the MHA on Northeast Affairs, is holding talks on behalf of the Centre with various Naga groups, including the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM).
The official said that during the meeting, the Chief Minister also raised the issue of lifting the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland and sought relaxation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar border.
He said that the Nagaland Cabinet deliberated on the re-imposition of PAP on January 6, 2025 following which the state government wrote to the MHA on January 22, 2025, seeking a review of the decision and restoration of the earlier relaxation granted to the state.
The Cabinet again discussed the matter on December 16, 2025, and February 3, 2026, and decided to pursue the issue with the MHA for complete relaxation of the PAP in Nagaland.
The official said that Chief Minister Rio had also written four letters to the Centre between July 2025 and November 28, 2025, requesting a review of the re-imposition of the PAP regime in the state.
The Union Home Minister assured that the matter would be positively examined by the Home Ministry.
The PAP, imposed in Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, regulates the entry of foreign nationals into designated areas.
The official said that in his representations, the Chief Minister also highlighted that Nagaland shares a 215-km unfenced International Border with Myanmar, cutting across Naga communities residing on both sides.
“These communities have, for generations, maintained deep-rooted social, cultural and economic ties, with regular cross-border movement for agriculture, traditional practices and familial responsibilities,” he said.
The Cabinet deliberated on the issue on January 6, 2025, following which the state government wrote to the MHA seeking restoration of the earlier Free Movement Regime. In a letter dated July 18, 2025, the Chief Minister again drew the Centre’s attention to the revised FMR guidelines, stating that they were causing hardship and distress to border communities, and sought a more flexible and context-sensitive approach that balances national security concerns with traditional rights and livelihoods.
The matter was once again discussed by the Cabinet on February 3, 2026, and the state government decided to urge the MHA to re-examine the revised FMR guidelines, considering the unique demographic and cultural realities of the region.
Shah gave a patient hearing and assured a positive approach to examining the matter, the official said.
–IANS
sc/rad
