Assam, Mizoram to resume border talks on April 25 in Guwahati: K Sapdanga

Aizawl,Apr 7: A fresh round of official-level talks between Mizoram and Assam to resolve the decades-old boundary dispute will be held in Guwahati on April 25, Mizoram Home Minister K Sapdanga said on Sunday. According to Sapdanga, the proposal for the upcoming discussions was initiated by the Assam government, and Mizoram has agreed to participate in principle. The Mizoram delegation is expected to depart from Aizawl on April 24, he said.

A senior official from Mizoram's Home Department said that while the proposed schedule has been approved in principle, finer details – such as the list of delegation members and the full itinerary – are still being finalised. The file has been submitted to the state government and is currently awaiting the green light.

The upcoming meeting marks a continuation of dialogue following the fourth round of ministerial-level talks held on August 9, 2024, in Aizawl. In that round, the Mizoram delegation was led by Sapdanga, and Assam's team was headed by Minister for Border Protection and Development Atul Bora.

A joint statement released after that meeting affirmed the commitment of both states to honour the previous list of delegation members and the full itinerary – which are still being finalised. The file has been submitted to the state government and is currently awaiting the green light. The upcoming meeting marks a continuation of dialogue following the fourth round of ministerial-level talks held on August 9, 2024, in Aizawl.

In that round, the Mizoram delegation was led by Sapdanga, and Assam's team was headed by Minister for Border Protection and Development Atul Bora. A joint statement released after that meeting affirmed the commitment of both states to honour previous agreements and maintain peace along the contested stretch. It was also agreed that officials from both sides would collaborate to resolve lingering issues and thoroughly examine the remaining points of contention.

The two sides had also agreed to convene another ministerial-level meeting before March 31, 2025, a timeline that has since elapsed. The joint communique further instructed deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in border districts to hold meetings every six months, along with monthly virtual reviews, to monitor the ground situation and build trust at the local level. While border tensions have simmered for years, it was a deadly clash on July 26, 2021, when a firefight between the two state police forces left five Assam policemen dead – that served as a grim turning point.

The incident prompted a renewed push for peace, beginning with a visit to Aizawl by an Assam delegation led by Atul Bora in August 2021.

Since then, four rounds of official talks have been held – three in Aizawl and one in Guwahati. In addition, two rounds of dialogue at the chief minister level were conducted in New Delhi, where former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, held discussions in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

By

Correspondent