Assam and Arunachal Pradesh reached an agreement to resolve their decades-old border dispute relating to 123 villages distributed over the 700-km-long interstate border, marking a significant step towards achieving "long-lasting peace" in the northeast.
In the presence of home minister Amit Shah, the border agreement was signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh at the North Block. Kiren Rijiju, the law minister, also attended the event.
Shah applauded how all parties, including residents of the affected villages, were taken into account before signing the agreement, which marks another milestone in realising PM Narendra Modi's dream of a "peaceful, developed, and conflict-free" northeast. Shah welcomed the "historic feat" of resolving a boundary dispute that had simmered for several decades.
Himanta Biswa Sarma said Assam and Meghalaya will try to resolve the remaining 40% dispute in the next two to three months and talks to resolve the dispute with Mizoram are on. “The dispute with Nagaland cannot be resolved politically. It is pending in the Supreme Court and it will have to be resolved in the court,” he said.
The historical context, demographic makeup, administrative convenience, close proximity to the border, and aspirations of the local populace have all been taken into consideration when drafting the agreement. It is based on the Local Commission's report, which 12 regional committees revised further after consulting local citizens.
A detailed survey will soon be undertaken by the Survey of India in the presence of representatives of both the state governments to determine the boundaries of both the states.