Extension of AFSPA in Nagaland

According to a recent notification issued by the Union Home Ministry, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six months to cover nine districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state. This decision arises amid ongoing security concerns and the complexities of insurgency.

AFSPA grants special powers to the armed forces operating in areas designated as "disturbed". These powers include searching premises without warrants, arresting individuals on suspicion, and using lethal force if considered necessary for maintaining public order. The act also provides security personnel with legal cover for operations in disturbed areas. While security forces view AFSPA as essential for effective counter-insurgency operations, the act has been the subject of controversy for decades. Critics argue that AFSPA restricts the rights and freedoms of local populations, and there have been numerous allegations of human rights abuses. There have been repeated calls for its repeal which have been fueled by claims of excessive force and a lack of accountability under its provisions.

The extension of AFSPA becomes necessary to empower security forces to respond rapidly to emerging threats and maintain order in the face of renewed insurgency and ethnic violence. The recurring invocation of AFSPA highlights persistent governance and security challenges in the region, indicating an urgent need for long-term political solutions alongside military measures.

At its peak, almost the entire territory of Northeast was under AFSPA, but today the act is applied selectively due to diminished challenges of insurgency and internal security. This reduction reflects genuine security improvements and also assuaging to the demands of local communities. However, it introduces operational complexity along the boundaries between "disturbed" and "non-disturbed" areas and deepens ethnic and tribal divisions, as different communities perceive security and governance differently depending on whether AFSPA is enforced in their areas. Disparities in enforcement exacerbate mistrust among groups, complicating efforts to foster unity and stability in the entire state.

On September 19, 2025, a significant ambush occurred in the Nambol Sabal Leikai area of Bishnupur district, targeting an Assam Rifles convoy. The attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to five others. Notably, this incident took place in an area that had recently been designated as non-disturbed, with AFSPA's authority withdrawn after a prolonged period of unrest and on demand of the local communities. Such exclusions compromise the ability of security forces to respond to insurgent activities and maintain order. The incident underscores the need to reevaluate AFSPA’s application and consider reinstating it in areas where insurgent groups are regaining ground.

Insurgent groups are adept at exploiting regulatory gaps and shifts in government control. By leveraging these vulnerabilities, they can launch attacks that complicate an already complex security environment. The removal of AFSPA has intensified these challenges, as insurgents perceive gaps in military presence and authority, emboldening their operations and increasing risks for security forces and local communities.

In declaration of AFSPA in selective areas, Security Forces are required to switch to regular policing powers in adjacent-non-disturbed areas to overcome confusion over arrest protocols, search warrants, and use-of-force thresholds. Enhanced coordination is also required in information-sharing protocols between AFSPA and non-AFSPA jurisdictions to prevent blind spots which insurgent groups utilise to move supplies and personnel across boundaries and evade sustained pressure from the Security Forces.

To overcome these issues, authorities should also consider broader contiguous AFSPA coverage to eliminate jurisdictional blind spots and regularly review notified areas using real-time threat mapping. Joint command centres with AFSPA powers be established, regardless of internal boundaries, streamlining intelligence protocols that would help maintain a continuous operational picture and ensure cohesive security operations.

Each State in the Northeast has its own peculiar issues and the extension of AFSPA in Nagaland also reflects the complex realities of governance, security, and human rights affected by insurgency and ethnic strife. The current challenges faced are the opposition of the people to the recent changes in Free Movement Regime (FMR) protocols and erection of Border Fencing along the porous Indo-Myanmar Border to stop infiltration of illegal immigrants and insurgents who have camps located in Myanmar. Tensions also prevail in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Nagaland-Assam interstate boundary, particularly in Niuland, Wokha and Mokokchung districts, due to perceived encroachments by either side due to the disputed boundary. The protracted ceasefire with the underground groups has led to uncertainty, due to tardy progress of talks leading to inter-factional clashes, killings and rampant extortions. The demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory, which also led to Election boycott, has been accepted in principle and negotiations are on between the Centre and the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO). The Five Central Tribes have also demanded a Review of the Job Reservation Policy and the State Government has appointed a Commission to review the same within six months.

Procrastination in active engagement with stakeholders must be avoided and solutions to vexed problems must be hammered out urgently in a spirit of give and take. Unfortunate happenings in Ladakh should be taken as warning signs and people's patience should not be tested indefinitely, however false assurances too must be avoided. In the Bodo Territorial Council Elections, the people voted out the ruling dispensation to send a clear message that the people are competent to govern themselves and they don't want to be remote controlled as puppets by the State or the Centre.

While the act provides the armed forces with vital operational powers, its continued use highlights the necessity of addressing underlying issues through dialogue, development, and reconciliation to ensure everlasting peace and stability which the people richly deserve.

Colonel Prakash Bhatt (Retd)

Noida.

(The views expressed in the article are personal)