Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio has taken up critical issues with the Union Home Minister concerning the state, urging “urgent consideration” over the re-imposed Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime.
In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Dr Rio noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs “from 17th December 2024 onwards re-imposed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime for Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland purportedly on account of growing security concerns in the border areas of these States.” He recalled that “since 2010, the States of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland were being excluded from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime with certain conditions.”
While acknowledging that “the prevailing security situation in Manipur, and the reported influx of Myanmar refugees into Mizoram in recent years are a matter of concern,” Rio stressed that “the situation in Nagaland is vastly different from others. Our State has been enjoying one of the most peaceful periods since statehood with no noticeable security concerns.” He added that “the India-Myanmar border areas of the State of Nagaland remain fully peaceful, owing to the homogeneous ethnicity and close familial and social ties of the people living on both sides of the border, with no reports of ingress or influx of refugees from across the border into the State.”
Rio said that “re-imposition of PAP regime in Nagaland may not be warranted.” Speaking at the plenary session for the NEC on 21st December 2024 at Agartala, he expressed concern that “re-imposition of PAP in Nagaland, one of the most peaceful states of the country may have an adverse impact on the tourist inflow in the State, which had just then witnessed a record tourist inflow in the 25th year of the Hornbill Festival.”
The Chief Minister highlighted that the State Cabinet “on 6th January 2025 and 27th March 2025 deliberated on the re-imposition of PAP” and that the government wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs on 22nd January 2025 “seeking revisiting the decision of re-imposition of PAP regime in Nagaland and restoring the relaxation granted to Nagaland earlier.” Letters dated 18th July 2025 and 10th September 2025 “again requested for a review of re-imposition of PAP in Nagaland and for considering relaxing it, subject to conditions deemed appropriate.”
Rio underscored Nagaland’s growing prominence as a global tourism destination, noting that it is “driven largely by the success of Nagaland ‘Land of Festivals’ tourism policy,” which “has led to a substantial increase in foreign tourist arrivals, which in turn has boosted the economy, generated employment particularly for our youth and projected a positive image of both Nagaland and the nation.” He warned, however, that “the imposition of the PAP regime has the potential to negatively impact all these gains.”
Pointing to the state’s emerging tourism sector, Rio said, “Only recently, Tourism has emerged as a key sector of livelihood of the State after decades of conflict and it has become now one of the significant drivers of economic revival. The current Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime could adversely affect this sector by significantly reducing the inflow of foreign tourists.”
The Chief Minister also highlighted the role of Naga artists, stating that they “are regularly representing India internationally, at prominent international events and festivals, projecting our country’s vibrant cultural identity and diversity.” He added that “a relaxed PAP regime by promoting more international cultural exchanges would only further aid in strengthening of international ties projecting India’s rich cultural tapestry.”
Expressing urgency, Rio said the matter “has attained a further sense of urgency owing to the approaching festive season and the Hornbill Festival 2025 of the State, which you are aware has come to attain global recognition drawing each year a large number of visitors and tourists from many countries, besides thousands from within the country, and is commencing from 1st December 2025 just a few weeks away from now.” He warned that “the PAP regime as being implemented presently might keep away many foreign tourists and visitors from coming to the State which they would have otherwise visited,” adding that “such a scenario, which we earnestly wish shouldn’t be happening, could just set us back in our efforts to make Nagaland a global tourist destination.”
Rio noted that “the State Government has also been approached by many organisations – including stakeholders from the tourism and education sectors, as well as various civil society groups – urging it to take up the matter with the Government of India and advocate for relaxation of the PAP regime.” He concluded by appealing “for urgent review of the PAP regime in Nagaland and for considering coming up with new and relaxed guidelines for PAP in the State,” assuring that “the State Government on its part will continue having systems in place with stringent SOPs and screening protocols, to ensure that tourism growth does not compromise national security in any manner.”