Assam-Meghalaya Set a New Course for the Northeast
By Dipak Kurmi
In what is being hailed as a turning point in the political geography of India’s Northeast, the states of Assam and Meghalaya etched history into the earth on July 2, 2025, by jointly installing the first boundary pillar in the Hahim area, located between Assam’s Kamrup district and Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district. This seemingly modest act is the culmination of over fifty years of contention, confusion, and conflict arising from one of the most stubborn and sensitive inter-state boundary disputes in the region. More importantly, it symbolizes an era of cooperative federalism finally triumphing over political inertia.
The two states share a sprawling 884.9-kilometre boundary. Yet, ever since Meghalaya was carved out of Assam in 1972, large segments of this boundary were left undemarcated. This administrative oversight laid the groundwork for decades of unrest, lawlessness, and violent clashes—sometimes even involving armed confrontations between police forces of both states. It was a long-festering wound that not only compromised law and order but also stifled development, fractured community relations, and sowed seeds of distrust between the neighbouring governments. That the installation of a single pillar is now celebrated as a “pillar of peace and clarity,” as Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma aptly called it, speaks volumes of the historical baggage it helps unload.
The roots of the conflict stretch back to the early 1970s when the central and state governments failed to mark the newly created Meghalaya’s boundaries with precision. This led to overlapping claims and a jurisdictional limbo, particularly in twelve stretches now known as the “areas of difference.” Among these, Hahim, Tarabari, Gijang, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata, and Ratachera have been the most contentious. Years of delayed resolution despite central interventions and Supreme Court oversight had yielded little. It was not until the political equation changed—when two NDA-led governments under Chief Ministers Sarma and Conrad Sangma came into alignment—that the deadlock showed signs of thawing.
The current BJP-led Assam government, under the determined stewardship of Dr. Sarma, brought renewed vigour to the issue. In June 2021, both states agreed to adopt a “give-and-take” policy, setting up three regional committees each. These committees were tasked with undertaking extensive ground assessments, engaging local stakeholders, consulting historical maps and documents, and creating a framework that balanced legal, administrative, and emotional claims.
The outcome of this effort was the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 29, 2022, in New Delhi, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The agreement marked the settlement of six of the twelve disputed areas, including Hahim. It was a historic moment—an act of political courage and maturity that was widely applauded across the spectrum. Still, until this month, it remained a promise on paper. Now, with the erection of the first boundary pillar, the agreement has transitioned into tangible action.
The installation of pillars began along the Gijang and Tirchang rivers, from Rangthali village in Hahim, progressing through Umshek (Mathapota), Maspara, Malapara, Ranighar, Salpara, Thutia Bazaar, and Rangsapara. Survey teams and administrative officers from both states worked together on the ground—something almost unimaginable in previous decades of hostility. Officials confirmed that surveys and installations will soon extend to the adjoining Gijang area, which also saw repeated flashpoints in the past. The local population, long caught in the bureaucratic and emotional crossfire, expressed relief and called the development “historic.”
The decision to install these pillars before August 15, India’s Independence Day, was taken jointly by both Chief Ministers at a meeting held at Guwahati’s Koinadhara Guest House on June 2, 2025. This timeline underscores a deeper symbolic meaning: the assertion of sovereignty not through military might or political decree, but through consensus, cooperation, and constitutionalism.
The significance of the July 2 event lies not just in geography, but in governance. The absence of clearly marked borders had long hindered the effective delivery of services, development schemes, and security provisions. Now, with the installation of these physical markers, there is administrative clarity—paving the way for stable governance, planning, and law enforcement. As Chief Minister Sarma noted in his social media post, “Governance can finally shine in these once grey areas.”
This achievement is not an isolated event. It is part of a broader push by the Assam government to resolve boundary disputes with other neighbours. The Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary dispute—stretching over 804.1 km—witnessed major progress in April 2023, when an MoU signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah resolved 71 of the 123 disputed villages. The Survey of India is presently carrying out demarcation surveys in the remaining areas.
The Assam-Mizoram boundary, marked by a volatile history of violent clashes as recently as 2021, has also been under negotiation. Meetings are held periodically to maintain peace and move towards a mutually acceptable solution. Meanwhile, the Assam-Nagaland dispute, the oldest and most complicated of them all, remains sub judice in the Supreme Court. The core of the disagreement lies in differing conceptual frameworks: while Assam adheres to constitutional boundaries, Nagaland asserts historical claims rooted in the idea of a larger Naga homeland. The court’s eventual verdict will likely reshape future engagements in the region.
For the record, Assam shares its boundary with six other states besides Meghalaya: 512.1 km with Nagaland, 804.1 km with Arunachal Pradesh, 204.1 km with Manipur, 164.6 km with Mizoram, 46.3 km with Tripura, and 127 km with West Bengal. Out of these, Assam’s border tensions with Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland have proven most intractable. The progress with Meghalaya, therefore, stands as a potential blueprint—a beacon of what cooperative federalism can achieve even in historically sensitive zones.
The larger geopolitical implications are not lost on policy circles. The Northeast is a crucial component of India’s Act East Policy. As India seeks to strengthen its strategic and economic ties with Southeast Asia, the Northeast’s role as a bridge becomes central. Infrastructure projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project, and regional trade hubs can only thrive if local disputes do not threaten the peace or impede logistics. Thus, resolving boundary disputes is not just about healing old wounds—it is about unlocking future potential.
What is particularly noteworthy in this saga is the emphasis on inclusivity. The views of local stakeholders—villagers, community elders, district officers—were taken into account during the regional committees’ visits. This ground-up approach ensured that the solution wasn’t merely a bureaucratic diktat but a democratic negotiation. It also explains the public goodwill and enthusiastic reception that greeted the installation of the Hahim boundary pillar.
There is also a psychological transformation underway. For decades, the residents of the disputed border villages were not sure which state they belonged to. With every election, welfare scheme, or public project, the question of jurisdiction resurfaced, bringing with it uncertainty and neglect. That ambiguity has now been replaced with administrative clarity and emotional closure.
Yet, the path ahead is not without obstacles. The remaining six areas of difference between Assam and Meghalaya still require attention. Political capital, community consensus, and continued Centre-state cooperation will be necessary to bring the process to its logical conclusion. The lessons of Hahim, however, provide a roadmap: engage stakeholders, honour historical nuances, prioritise people’s aspirations, and above all, keep the channels of dialogue open.
In retrospect, the boundary pillar erected at Hahim is far more than a geopolitical marker. It is a monument to the power of dialogue, the endurance of democratic institutions, and the wisdom of mutual respect. For a region long plagued by suspicion and neglect, it is the first stone laid in the foundation of a more stable, integrated, and prosperous Northeast.
If the momentum is sustained and the spirit of collaboration upheld, the borderlines that once divided can very well become lifelines that connect. The Northeast, after all, is not just a periphery—it is India’s frontier of opportunity, peace, and promise. And now, with the boundary pillars rising, that promise seems more tangible than ever.
(the writer can be reached at dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com)
