Beyond the Gun: Governance in the Northeast

For decades, the Northeast was seen primarily through the prism of conflict—insurgency, ethnic tensions, and demands for autonomy dominated national perception and policy. Headlines often reduced the region to episodes of violence or negotiation, overshadowing its rich culture, strategic importance, and developmental potential. Over the past decade, however, the landscape has changed. Armed movements have receded, peace accords have multiplied, and discourse has shifted from security concerns to governance, development, and political integration. The pressing question now is whether these accords and the cessation of violence have translated into accountable governance and tangible improvements in citizens’ lives, or whether peace remains an uneasy silence.

The scale of change is striking. Official data indicate that insurgency-related incidents in the Northeast have declined by over seventy per cent since 2010, while civilian casualties have fallen by nearly ninety per cent. Tripura, once among the most violence-affected states, has achieved near-total normalisation through sustained political engagement, security coordination, and rehabilitation initiatives. Assam’s Bodo Peace Accord of 2020 ended decades of conflict, integrating former militants into constitutional politics and reorganising local governance under the Bodoland Territorial Region. Similar agreements in Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong have further reduced insurgent influence. These outcomes are not the result of military action alone; they reflect a deliberate policy emphasis on dialogue, political inclusion, and rehabilitation alongside security measures.

The government’s approach is rooted in a clear strategic premise: sustainable development is impossible without peace, and peace cannot endure without development. Flagship initiatives integrate negotiated settlements with economic packages, institutional reforms, and long-term infrastructure projects. Former militants are offered opportunities for education, employment, and political participation, replacing alienation with stakeholding. Investments in highways, railways, digital connectivity, and cross-border trade corridors strengthen the region’s integration with national and international economic networks. These interventions demonstrate that peace is not merely the absence of violence but a foundation for citizen-centric governance.

Yet the end of armed conflict has exposed persistent governance challenges. Insurgency often masked structural deficits—weak service delivery, limited employment opportunities, administrative fragmentation, and contested authority between state governments, autonomous councils, and traditional institutions. While these challenges are real, they are being addressed through targeted reforms, better coordination, and institutional strengthening, ensuring that public expectations are gradually met. Autonomous councils, established or strengthened under peace agreements, face overlapping jurisdictions and financial limitations, but by promoting transparency, accountability, and integration with state and national development programs, these institutions are evolving into effective vehicles of local empowerment rather than remaining sources of administrative friction.

Youth aspirations further underscore the stakes. The Northeast has one of India’s youngest populations, with rising educational attainment but persistent challenges in accessing quality employment. While this gap could risk disillusionment, the government has introduced central schemes for skill development, entrepreneurship, and local enterprise, aligning education and vocational training with regional economic opportunities. These efforts aim to ensure that peace translates into sustainable livelihoods, preventing economic frustration from undermining hard-won stability.

The broader national vision frames this transition as well. The Northeast is increasingly seen not as a distant frontier but as a strategic bridge to Southeast Asia under India’s Act East Policy. Enhanced connectivity with Bangladesh and Myanmar, inland waterway projects on the Brahmaputra and Barak, and cross-border energy and trade initiatives position the region as a driver of growth. While some critics argue that peace is still fragile, citing unresolved issues like the Naga settlement or sporadic ethnic tensions, these concerns are being systematically addressed through ongoing political dialogue, institutional safeguards, and community participation mechanisms, ensuring that peace is durable and inclusive.

What distinguishes the current phase from earlier attempts at conflict resolution is the emphasis on mainstreaming rather than merely managing difference. Former militants are encouraged to participate in elections, local grievances are addressed through administrative mechanisms rather than security interventions, and development programs increasingly focus on community engagement. While progress is uneven and setbacks occur, the combination of governance reforms, policy alignment, and participatory development ensures that challenges are met with credible, actionable solutions.

Ultimately, the measure of success will not be the number of accords signed but the quality of governance that emerges. Peace must translate into functioning schools, reliable healthcare, accessible justice, transparent institutions, and economic opportunities that allow citizens to envision a future rooted in their own communities. Transitioning from armed silence to accountable governance is neither quick nor linear, but with sustained reforms, policy focus, and community engagement, it is achievable.

The Northeast today stands at a historic juncture. The cessation of violence has opened doors for democratic processes, development, and strategic engagement. The challenge is to ensure that peace becomes a lived reality, sustained by institutions that are responsive, transparent, and inclusive. If governance rises to this challenge, the Northeast can finally move from the periphery to the centre of India’s political, economic, and strategic story—not as a region to be managed, but as a partner in national progress.