Mizoram, Assam agree to maintain status quo after fresh border tensions

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Friday said his state and Assam have agreed to maintain the status quo in disputed border areas following fresh tensions along the inter-state boundary.

Speaking at a conference of the Mizoram Police Service Association (MPSA) in Aizawl, Lalduhoma said he had spoken with his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, after the latest incident.

“We have agreed to continue to respect and maintain the status quo in the disputed areas along the inter-state border, which we have already discussed earlier,” he said.

On August 15, police personnel and forest officials from Assam allegedly entered Saikhawthlir village in Mizoram’s Mamit district and destroyed around 290 rubber plants cultivated by locals. The plantation was part of the Chief Minister's Rubber Mission and managed by the state’s land resources, soil and water conservation department.

The incident triggered renewed tensions, prompting deputy commissioners and police chiefs of Mamit (Mizoram) and Hailakandi (Assam) to hold a crucial meeting on Monday. Both sides agreed to handle the matter amicably and improve coordination to prevent such incidents in the future, though they also claimed the disputed land as their own.

Mamit Deputy Commissioner K. Laltlawmlova maintained that the site falls under Mizoram’s Kawrtha forest division, based on official maps prepared by the state’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change department.

However, Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Jain argued the area lies within Assam’s inner line reserve forest under the Gharmura range. Citing the Reserved Forest Act, 1980, Jain said planting rubber trees there is prohibited and warned it could attract scrutiny from the National Green Tribunal.

Mizoram shares a 164.6 km border with Assam’s Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj districts. The border row dates back to colonial-era demarcations—one drawn in 1875 and another in 1933—leading to recurring disputes.

The conflict has at times turned violent, most notably in July 2021 when clashes near Mizoram’s Vairengte left seven people dead. Since then, both states have held multiple rounds of talks, including ministerial-level meetings and official negotiations. In their last talks held in April, they reiterated a commitment to maintain the status quo while working toward a long-term resolution.