Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) would be withdrawn from almost the entire Northeast next year, citing a sharp decline in violence and progress made through a series of peace accords in the region.
"I am confident that barring one or two states, we will withdraw AFSPA from the entire Northeast next year," Shah said.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Shah said the shrinking geographical footprint of AFSPA was an indicator of lasting peace in the region.
He said 12 accords had been signed since 2019 between various groups and state governments, contributing to an around 80 per cent decline in violent incidents.
Shah also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sustained focus on the Northeast, saying the region had witnessed significant improvements in peace and development over the past decade.
Assam-Nagaland oil pact
Shah attended the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland to facilitate oil and mineral exploration in disputed areas along the two states' border.
Describing the agreement as a "historic moment", he said it would remove a long-standing hurdle to development and open new avenues for mineral exploration in the Northeast.
The MoU aims to facilitate exploration activities across more than 1,000 sq km along the Assam-Nagaland border, where operations had remained stalled for over three decades because of jurisdictional disputes.
The area is believed to contain substantial hydrocarbon and mineral reserves.
"With just one MoU, the extraction capacity of 1,000-1,500 barrels per day can be increased by 10 times," Shah said, adding that one field alone could yield resources worth more than Rs 15,000 crore.
He said tapping the region's oil reserves would strengthen India's energy security and reduce dependence on imports.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the agreement reflected the Centre's efforts to resolve long-pending issues that had hindered development and resource utilisation, and would create significant opportunities for hydrocarbon exploration and mineral extraction.
