Assam and Arunachal Pradesh reviewed progress and agreed on measures to resolve disputed border areas. The decisions advance demarcation while preserving the status quo and preventing fresh encroachments.
Arunachal Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja. (File image)
Itanagar,Oct 14, 2026 20:48 IST
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have held the second regional committee meeting aimed at resolving their decades-old boundary dispute, an official report said on Wednesday. The talks covered disputed areas involving Papum Pare district in Arunachal Pradesh and Biswanath and Lakhimpur districts in Assam.
The two states agreed on measures to prevent fresh encroachments and tree felling, install boundary pillars and begin formal demarcation. The disputed villages have been divided into three categories based on the nature and complexity of the issues.
The Arunachal Pradesh delegation was led by Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja and included Doimukh MLA Nabam Vivek and Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Mamu Hage. The Assam delegation was headed by Revenue Minister Keshab Mahanta and included Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and MP Ranjit Dutta.
During the meeting, the deputy commissioners presented details of the progress made and joint field inspections conducted since the first meeting on January 9, 2023.
Officials said Category I comprises nine disputed villages, while Category II includes 22 villages with minor localised disputes. Category III covers two complex villages where the two sides are yet to reach a consensus.
Both state governments agreed to maintain the status quo according to the agreed cut-off dates, prevent fresh encroachments and tree felling, and begin the required process to withdraw first information reports registered against officials from either side.
The committee called for the immediate installation of boundary pillars in Category I villages. Disputes involving Category II villages will be resolved by the respective district administrations.
The district administrations have also been asked to involve the Survey of India and begin formal boundary demarcation within two months, the report said.
For the two unresolved Category III villages, a roadmap will be prepared after consultations with local MLAs, district officials and residents. This will be done before the next regional committee meeting, scheduled for late December 2026.
The Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary dispute dates back to 1951, when more than 3,600 sq km of plains were transferred from the North-East Frontier Agency to Assam following the recommendations of the Gopinath Bordoloi committee.
Arunachal Pradesh later contested the transfers after becoming a Union Territory in 1972 and attaining statehood in 1987. Although a High-Powered Tripartite Committee recommended using the 1951 boundary line in 1980, disputes continued over settlements extending beyond the notified border.
The latest efforts follow the Namsai Declaration signed on July 15, 2022, by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. It reduced the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86 and set up 12 regional committees to finalise boundary demarcation on the ground.
The second regional committee meeting reviewed progress since January 2023 and set out separate steps for resolving disputes across the three categories of villages, with further consultations planned for the two areas where consensus has not been reached.
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With PTI inputs