Nagaland Assembly seeks PAP withdrawal as Rio cites improved security, tourism growth and proposes digital monitoring of foreign visitors
KOHIMA — The Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously called for withdrawal of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime, with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio arguing that the state’s improved security situation no longer justifies the restrictions and offering a technology-driven system to monitor foreign visitors instead.
The resolution, moved by Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, urged the government of India to review and withdraw the PAP currently imposed in Nagaland and restore the earlier relaxation. It was adopted through a voice vote without opposition.
The House maintained that Nagaland’s peaceful environment, improving connectivity and development prospects warranted a fresh assessment of the regime, which it said had become an impediment to international tourism, investment, business engagement, cultural exchanges and international partnerships.
It also noted that the restrictions could limit opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people, and called for regulatory arrangements that have “outlived their developmental relevance” to be reconsidered.
Speaking in support of the resolution, Rio said the present situation in Nagaland was markedly different from the security environment when the PAP was reimposed in December 2024. “Today, Nagaland is peaceful, stable and well connected,” he said, while maintaining that national security remained paramount.
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The chief minister cited official figures showing a sharp decline in armed-group activity in the state. Between 2004 and 2009, he said, there were over 257 incidents related to underground activities, resulting in more than 120 casualties among underground cadres and civilians, largely due to inter-factional clashes, in addition to six security-force casualties.
“In stark contrast”, he said, the total number of incidents relating to armed groups had fallen drastically to only eight in the preceding five years, from 2021 to 2026.
These incidents resulted in four casualties among underground cadres and civilians and one security-force casualty.
Rio said the comparative figures demonstrated Nagaland’s long and difficult journey towards peace and progress after years of violence and killings.
He also said Nagaland had the second-lowest crime rate among states and Union territories, after Dadra and Nagar Haveli, based on National Crime Records Bureau data for 2024. Further, he said, the state had the lowest crime rate against women in the country. He maintained that “by any yardstick”, Nagaland was the most peaceful state in the country.
Rio argued that security and development should not be viewed as competing priorities, saying the PAP was now affecting tourism, investment, international cultural partnerships, diplomatic participation and opportunities for the state’s youth.
“When a foreign visitor hears the words ‘Protected Area Permit’, the terminology itself can create an impression that Nagaland is unsafe or inaccessible.
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That does not reflect the reality of Nagaland today. When investors or international organisations face additional procedures and uncertainty before entering the state, they may choose another destination. When tourists stay away, homestays, hotels, guides, taxi operators and entrepreneurs lose business; when investors stay away, our youth lose opportunities,” he explained.
He pointed to the growth in foreign tourist visits to Kisama during the Hornbill Festival, from 284 in 2010 to 2,528 in 2025. According to him, most of the increase occurred between 2011 and 2023, when the PAP had been relaxed.
The chief minister said the temporary relaxation granted around the 2025 Hornbill Festival was insufficient and called for a permanent and practical solution.
He added that concern over the issue was not limited to the government, with tribal organisations, civil society bodies, tourism stakeholders, entrepreneurs, investment agencies and various sections of Naga society repeatedly expressing concern over the continuation of the PAP regime.
As an alternative to the PAP, Rio said the state was willing to introduce a technology-driven system for registering and monitoring foreign visitors. The proposed mechanism could capture passport and visa details, itineraries, accommodation and duration of stay, with authorised agencies able to access the information through an integrated system involving district administration, police and tourism authorities.
Minister Temjen Imna Along, while participating in the discussion, traced the PAP to the Foreigners Protected Area Order of 1958. He recalled that the regime was relaxed in Nagaland from January 1, 2011, initially for one year and subsequently extended several times, before being reimposed in December 2024 along with Manipur and Mizoram.
Along argued that Nagaland’s circumstances were different from those of the other two states, particularly in terms of security and the presence of refugees.
Advisor Hekani Jakhalu said the continuation of the PAP could work against the Centre’s Act East Policy and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. She said the policy created a “fear psychosis” and could contribute to a negative perception of Nagaland among international visitors and investors.
MLA Naiba Konyak also raised concerns over the economic implications of the permit regime while referring to the state’s history and the longstanding sensitivities surrounding restrictions on the movement of foreigners.
The Assembly resolution stated that the state was prepared to strengthen institutional and technological safeguards for monitoring foreign nationals while seeking removal of restrictions that it believes are holding back tourism, investment and international engagement.
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