Guwahati: Official-level discussions between Mizoram and Assam over the ongoing boundary dispute is likely to convene in late March.
However, the ministerial talks planned before March 31 may face delay, senior official of Mizoram Home Department said on Wednesday.
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Mizoram Home Secretary Vanlalmawia stated that Assam sent an official proposal on Monday, suggesting bureaucratic-level talks in Guwahati towards the end of March.
Mizoram is reviewing the proposal and will respond once it makes a decision.
If it accepts the proposal, it will schedule the talks after the ongoing Budget Session concludes on March 20.
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Vanlalmawia further noted that Mizoram had previously insisted on officials from both states discussing the agenda and framework for the ministerial talks before meeting.
The goal was to finalize key details in advance to ensure meaningful discussions.
However, Mizoram’s previous attempts to initiate official-level talks had gone unanswered until Assam’s recent proposal.
The last round of ministerial talks, held on August 9, 2024, in Aizawl, reaffirmed both states’ commitment to peace and avoiding incidents along the disputed border.
The two sides agreed that the next round of talks should occur before January 31, 2025. However, delays have occurred due to Assam’s silence on Mizoram’s requests for preparatory discussions.
The boundary dispute between Mizoram and Assam stems from two colonial-era demarcations, one from 1875 and another from 1933.
Mizoram claims the 509-square-mile Inner Line Reserved Forest (ILRF) falls within its borders, based on the 1873 Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR).
Assam, however, asserts the 1933 Survey of India map as its constitutional boundary.
Over time, large portions of the ILRF have come under Assam’s jurisdiction. While parts of the land from the 1933 demarcation are now in Mizoram. The lack of an officially marked boundary has fueled the ongoing conflict.
Despite struggles to reach a lasting solution, sporadic clashes along the border highlight the urgency of resolving the issue.
The July 26, 2021, confrontation near Vairengte, which caused five Assam Police casualties, led to ministerial talks in August.