Will remove AFSPA from Northeast except one or two states next year: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of India, represented by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Nagaland, represented by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Assam, represented by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for joint exploration and production of oil and gas along the border on June 1 in Newgaland, Assam, Delhi-Na 2026 | Photo credit: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (Jun 11, 2026) said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA will be withdrawn from the entire Northeast next year, barring one or two states.

After signing a tripartite memorandum of understanding between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland on mineral oil operations in Assam-Nagaland border areas, Mr Shah said fewer areas under AFSPA indicated peace in the region.

“I am confident that barring one or two states, we will withdraw AFSPA from the entire Northeast next year,” he said.

Calling the MoU a “historic moment”, Mr Shah said it removed the last hurdle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed Northeast.

The MoU is aimed at carrying out oil and mineral exploration in a strip of disputed areas along the Assam-Nagaland border, where exploration has been suspended for more than three decades due to jurisdictional differences.

“This will open new avenues for mineral exploration in the Northeast. The area not only has oil and gas but also huge mineral deposits which could not be explored due to law and order issues,” Mr Shah said. With the MoU, the production capacity of 1,000 to 1,500 barrels per day can be increased tenfold, he said.

“There are possibilities of more than ₹15,000 crore in just one field. If we exploit the oil deposits spread across Nagaland, we would be able to reduce the dependence of our oil needs on foreign countries,” he said.

Mr. Shah said that since Mr. Modi took charge, he has focused on the Northeast and has become the prime minister who has visited the region at most.

Also Read: Total Repeal: On AFSPA

As of 2019, 12 agreements have been signed between various groups and state governments, leading to a significant drop in incidents of violence in the region by around 80%, he said.

“The development of both Assam and Nagaland remained hampered for long because consensus could not be reached for the MoU. The path opened today will open the door of development for both the states. It is the best example of cooperative federalism,” the home minister said.

Published – 12 Jun 2026 02:15 IST