Welcome and Inaugural Keynote Address

09:00 – 09:45 AM: Nagaland at the Crossroads: Peace, Political Settlement and India’s Eastern Frontier Strategy

Context
Nagaland occupies a unique position in India’s internal security architecture. It is a state where peace has advanced significantly, but the final political settlement remains incomplete. The Naga political issue, Article 371A, ceasefire arrangements, armed group legacies, Myanmar-linked instability, Eastern Nagaland’s autonomy demand, and community-based governance all converge into one strategic question: how can Nagaland move from managed peace to durable political stability? This opening session will frame Nagaland not merely as a former insurgency theatre, but as a decisive test case for negotiated peace, federal accommodation and community-led security in the Northeast.

Guiding questions

• What are the key unresolved issues preventing a final, inclusive and acceptable Naga political settlement?

• How can the peace process protect Naga identity while strengthening India’s constitutional and security framework?

• What should be the role of civil society, tribal bodies, churches, youth organisations and women’s groups in sustaining peace?

• How can Nagaland become a model for post-conflict governance in the Northeast?

Speaker

• TBD

10:00 – 10:45 AM: The Naga Political Issue: Framework Agreement, NNPGs and the Future of Shared Peace

Context
The Naga political process has moved through multiple stages: ceasefire, dialogue, the Framework Agreement, the Agreed Position with NNPGs, and continuing debates around flag, constitution, integration, autonomy and final settlement. The challenge today is not only to continue dialogue, but to build convergence across political actors, armed groups, civil society and affected communities. This session will examine how Nagaland can shift from prolonged negotiation to a practical peace architecture that reduces uncertainty and strengthens public confidence.

Guiding questions

• What points of convergence can be built between the Framework Agreement, the NNPG process and constitutional governance?

• How can the final settlement avoid creating new grievances among tribes, districts and neighbouring states?

• What interim confidence-building measures are needed while the larger political solution remains pending?

• How can peace talks be made more transparent without weakening sensitive negotiations?

Speaker

• TBD

11:00 – 11:45 AM: Oting, AFSPA and Civil-Military Confidence: Improving SOPs, Accountability and Public Trust

Context
The Oting incident remains a defining moment in Nagaland’s recent security memory. It intensified public debate around AFSPA, intelligence-led operations, civilian protection, accountability and the relationship between security forces and local communities. The purpose of this session is not to question the operational necessity of security institutions, but to examine how SOPs, intelligence verification, local coordination, communication and post-incident response can be strengthened. A stable Nagaland requires both firm action against armed threats and a security culture that preserves civilian confidence.

Guiding questions

• What operational lessons should be drawn from Oting for intelligence validation, target identification and civilian-risk reduction?

• How can security forces, police and district administration improve pre-operation and post-operation coordination?

• What mechanisms can strengthen accountability without weakening morale, operational confidence or force protection?

• How can community liaison systems reduce distrust in AFSPA-affected or formerly disturbed areas?

Speaker

• Nomination from Army / Assam Rifles / Nagaland Police 

13:00 – 13:45 PM: Eastern Nagaland and FNTA: Autonomy, Equity and Development as Security

Context
Eastern Nagaland has emerged as one of the most important political questions in the state. The demand for a separate administrative arrangement reflects long-standing concerns around infrastructure, representation, employment, public services and regional neglect. The proposed Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority offers an opportunity to address these grievances within a peaceful and constitutional framework. This session will examine how autonomy, development finance, administrative decentralisation and tribal representation can become tools of stabilisation rather than sources of fragmentation.

Guiding questions

• What should the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority prioritise in its first 12–24 months?

• How can autonomy be designed to improve development delivery without deepening political or tribal divisions?

• What safeguards are required for fair funding, transparent administration and measurable outcomes in eastern districts?

• How can Mon, Longleng, Tuensang, Noklak, Shamator and Kiphire become active partners in Nagaland’s wider peace framework?

Speaker

• TBD

14:00 – 14:45 PM: Myanmar Border, FMR, PAP and Mobility Management: Security without Breaking Kinship

Context
Nagaland’s security environment cannot be separated from Myanmar’s instability and the larger India-Myanmar borderland. Cross-border kinship, historical movement, insurgent shelters, informal trade, narcotics routes and humanitarian concerns make border governance extremely sensitive. The challenge is to regulate movement without criminalising communities, cutting off traditional ties or creating resentment. This session will examine how Nagaland can balance security, local identity, border fencing debates, FMR reform, PAP concerns, tourism, trade and humanitarian screening.

Guiding questions

• What risks does Myanmar’s instability create for Nagaland’s border districts and nearby transit routes?

• How can India regulate cross-border movement while respecting kinship, customary practices and humanitarian concerns?

• What should a smart border model include: documentation, community consultation, regulated crossings, surveillance and lawful trade?

• How can PAP, ILP and mobility systems be made transparent, secure and development-friendly?

Speaker

• TBD

15:00 – 15:45 PM: Preying the Predator: Narcotics, Extortion, Arms Linkages and Organised Crime Networks

Context
Nagaland faces narcotics and organised crime risks from regional trafficking routes, Myanmar-linked instability, informal taxation systems, courier networks, synthetic drugs, youth addiction and inter-state movement through Assam and Manipur. The threat is not limited to drug users or low-level carriers. Organised crime survives through financiers, handlers, transporters, protection networks, local facilitators, digital communication and laundering channels. This session will focus on moving from seizure-led enforcement to network-led disruption while also addressing addiction, rehabilitation and youth vulnerability.

Guiding questions

• How are narcotics, arms, extortion and informal taxation linked to older insurgent and cross-border networks?

• How can agencies identify financiers, logistics nodes, handlers and protection networks rather than only arresting carriers?

• What role should Nagaland Police, Assam Rifles, NCB, DRI, Customs, intelligence agencies and district administration play in coordinated disruption?

• How can enforcement be combined with de-addiction, livelihood support and community reporting?

Speaker

• Nomination from Nagaland Police / Assam Rifles / NCB / Organised Crime Expert

16:00 – 16:45 PM: Customary Institutions, Urban Governance and Women’s Representation

Context
Nagaland’s governance model is shaped by a unique relationship between constitutional institutions and customary authority. Recent urban local body elections with women’s reservation marked a historic shift after years of contestation. This development should be treated not only as a gender issue, but as a governance and legitimacy issue. Town councils, municipal bodies, tribal organisations, women’s groups and youth platforms can together improve service delivery, conflict mediation, civic trust and inclusive decision-making.

Guiding questions

• How can Nagaland harmonise customary authority, Article 371A protections and modern urban governance?

• What lessons can be drawn from the 2024 urban local body elections for women’s participation and local legitimacy?

• How can women’s organisations contribute to peacebuilding, anti-drug work, public health and community dispute resolution?

• What safeguards are needed to ensure that urban governance strengthens rather than weakens customary confidence?

Speaker

• TBD

16:45 – 17:30 PM: Youth, Jobs, Reservation and Identity Security: Preventing Alienation and Social Fragmentation

Context
Youth aspirations are central to Nagaland’s security future. Employment pressures, reservation debates, migration, uneven development, drug exposure, identity anxieties and limited private-sector opportunities can create frustration among young people. Recent debates around job reservation and indigenous certification show that identity, opportunity and governance are tightly connected. This session will examine how Nagaland can build a youth resilience framework rooted in fairness, skills, entrepreneurship, sports, counselling, digital opportunity and transparent recruitment.

Guiding questions

• What are the major insecurities affecting Nagaland’s youth across urban, rural and eastern districts?

• How can reservation, recruitment and indigenous certification systems be made fair, transparent and trusted?

• What livelihood pathways can reduce vulnerability to drugs, courier work, extortion networks and political alienation?

• How can civil society, churches, student bodies and government agencies jointly support youth resilience?

Speaker

• TBD

17:30 – 18:15 PM: Press, Public Communication and Information Warfare: Countering Rumours, Polarisation and Distrust

Context
Nagaland’s security environment is shaped not only by armed threats but also by narratives. Rumours around the peace process, AFSPA, Eastern Nagaland, border fencing, PAP, illegal documentation, drugs, land, religious identity and inter-tribal issues can quickly affect public trust. The press and digital communicators can become responsible partners in verification, crisis communication and public awareness. This session will examine how journalists, editors, civil society, public communication officers and security agencies can work together without compromising press freedom or operational sensitivity.

Guiding questions

• What types of misinformation are most likely to affect Nagaland’s peace and public order?

• How can sensitive reporting on peace talks, security operations, drugs, identity and autonomy avoid inflaming tensions?

• What communication protocols are needed between security agencies, civil administration and journalists during crises?

• How can multilingual fact-checking and community radio-style communication strengthen public confidence?

Speaker

• Nomination from Press / Public Communication / Information Warfare Expert

18:15 – 19:00 PM: Pathways to Stabilisation: Nagaland Peace, Security and Governance Framework

Context
Nagaland requires an integrated framework that connects the Naga political settlement, Eastern Nagaland autonomy, AFSPA confidence-building, Myanmar border management, counter-narcotics action, youth rehabilitation, women’s participation, urban governance, customary institutions and responsible communication. These challenges cannot be handled as separate administrative silos. The concluding session will identify a practical 12–24 month roadmap for Nagaland that combines peace, lawful authority, development, identity protection and community-led resilience.

Guiding questions

• What should a Nagaland Peace, Security and Governance Framework include over the next 12–24 months?

• What inter-agency mechanism is needed between the state government, security forces, police, central agencies, tribal bodies and civil society?

• What measurable indicators should track progress on peace, autonomy, drugs, youth, public trust and development delivery?

• How can Nagaland become a model for negotiated peace, constitutional accommodation and frontier resilience in the Northeast?

Speaker

• TBD