Seven Naga Groups Oppose Assam-Nagaland Energy Deal

Seven Naga political and civil-society groups are pushing back against a new energy exploration agreement signed by the central government, Assam, and Nagaland. The groups argue the deal amounts to resource extraction on contested land before a final political settlement is reached. Any drilling along the disputed border before that settlement is illegal, they said, and they vowed to block extraction from what they described as Naga land.

The pact, which authorises exploration near the Assam-Nagaland boundary, touches a raw nerve in a region where sovereignty over natural resources is central to decades-old peace talks. The Naga organisations see the timing as a provocation: the Centre has yet to deliver on a framework agreement signed with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) in 2015.

Exploration in the area would target oil and gas reserves in the Brahmaputra valley foothills. The region holds some of India's oldest producing fields, though output has declined in recent years. Any new drilling would require local consent, which the opposition puts in doubt.

The groups' statement did not specify what action they would take if exploration moves ahead. The Assam and Nagaland governments have not commented on the opposition.