No Oil Extraction Before Naga Settlement, Says NNPG

The Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), a coalition of seven Naga political organisations, objected to a tripartite agreement between the Indian Centre and the governments of Assam and Nagaland that permits energy exploration and extraction along the Assam-Nagaland border, arguing that such activities must wait until a final political settlement of the Naga issue is reached. They asserted that ownership and control over natural resources are integral to the 2017 Agreed Position signed with the Government of India, and that any pre‑settlement exploration would violate Naga rights and interests, pledging to block national or international companies from extracting crude petroleum from Naga soil. The NNPG also rejected revenue‑sharing proposals between Nagaland and Assam, maintaining that the disputed area is historically and legally part of the Naga homeland and that resource rights should be settled within a final political agreement. The statement noted ongoing parallel peace talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), which signed a ceasefire in 1997 and a Framework Agreement in 2015, yet a final settlement remains pending, with disputes over issues such as a separate Naga flag and constitution.

(Source：Express News Channel)