New Delhi/Imphal |  A joint delegation of Naga leaders from Nagaland and Manipur, led by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the long-pending Naga peace process and the prevailing situation in Manipur.

Describing the discussions as “positive and fruitful,” members of the delegation said the meeting focused on advancing efforts toward a comprehensive settlement of the Naga political issue while also addressing concerns arising from the ongoing unrest in Manipur.

The delegation included Nagaland Deputy Chief Ministers T. R. Zeliang and Yanthungo Patton, Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, and senior Naga People’s Front leader and Tamei MLA Awangbow Newmai.

According to delegation members, discussions centred on the Naga peace process and issues concerning Naga-inhabited areas spread across state boundaries. The leaders reiterated the need for continued dialogue and a lasting political solution to the decades-old Naga issue.

The meeting assumes significance as negotiations between the Centre and Naga groups continue more than a decade after the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah in August 2015.

Despite several rounds of talks over the years, a final peace accord remains elusive. Naga civil society organisations, tribal bodies and youth groups have repeatedly called for an early and time-bound resolution to the political issue.

The meeting also took place amid heightened tensions involving Naga communities in Manipur. Several apex Naga organisations have in recent months urged the Centre to review and revoke the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with Kuki militant groups, citing security concerns in Naga-inhabited areas.

The issue gained further prominence following the abduction of 18 Naga civilians from the Leilon Vaiphei area in Kangpokpi district in May. The subsequent recovery of the bodies of six abducted civilians triggered widespread outrage, protests and renewed demands for justice from Naga organisations across the region.

While no official details of the discussions were released, the meeting is being viewed as part of ongoing efforts by Naga leaders to keep the peace process on track and ensure that concerns relating to security, governance and political representation are addressed in any future settlement.

The Naga peace process remains one of the longest-running political negotiations in the Northeast, with stakeholders continuing to seek a mutually acceptable solution that can bring lasting peace and stability to the region.