Union Home Minister Amit Shah says the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) could be withdrawn across most of India’s Northeast next year, “barring one or two States.” Shah made the remarks while speaking at the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Centre, the governments of Assam and Nagaland for oil and mineral exploration along the Assam–Nagaland border. He described the MoU as a “historic moment” and said it is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed Northeast.
Shah also linked the MoU to broader efforts to sustain peace and drive development in the region. According to reporting, he said that since 2019 the government has signed a dozen peace pacts, that violent incidents have fallen by about 80%, and that the overall area under AFSPA has shrunk by about 80%. The outlets agree that Shah is projecting a near-term timeline for AFSPA removal from the region, while indicating that a small number of States may not see the withdrawal at the same time.
