Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a strong appeal to the people of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to maintain peace and resolve ongoing border disputes through mutual cooperation and dialogue. Highlighting the long-standing socio-cultural ties between the two neighbouring states, Sarma emphasised that their relationship transcends geographical boundaries. He noted that residents on both sides have coexisted for generations with mutual affection and respect and urged that administrative state borders should not be allowed to strain these deep-rooted community bonds.
The inter-state border dispute along the 804-kilometer boundary stems from historical administrative redefinitions dating back to the mid-20th century. Following the recommendations of the Bordoloi Committee in 1951, approximately 3,648 square kilometers of plain land were transferred from the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA, present-day Arunachal Pradesh) to Assam. When Arunachal Pradesh attained full statehood in 1987, it contested these transfers, arguing that tribal communities were separated from their traditional landholdings without consent. Over the decades, these un-demarcated boundary lines, overlapping claims on reserve forest lands and competition over agricultural plots have caused recurring local friction.
Tensions escalated following a violent firing incident on August 10, 2026, along the disputed inter-state border at Mingmang Basti in Assam’s Dhemaji district. The clash broke out over allegations of land encroachment, leading to gunfire by unidentified miscreants from across the border that left at least 11 Assamese villagers injured. In response to the August 10 incident, Assam Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu engaged directly with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. CM Khandu assured that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and that strict action would be taken against those found responsible. Despite recent localised flare-ups, substantial progress has been made toward a permanent solution through high-level bilateral agreements, most notably the landmark Namsai Declaration signed in 2022 and the subsequent agreement signed in New Delhi in April 2023. These frameworks empowered 12 regional committees composed of ministers and officials from both states to conduct joint field surveys. While these joint efforts have successfully resolved differences across the majority of the contested border, 52 villages remain part of the unresolved dispute, with both state administration teams actively continuing dialogue to reach a total and final settlement.
Distipanna Bhuyan