Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio has appealed to the Centre to urgently review the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland and consider a new and relaxed guidelines for PAP in the state, while assuring that the State Government on its part would continue having systems in place with stringent SOPs and screening protocols, to ensure that tourism growth does not compromise national security in any manner.
On Tuesday, Rio took up critical issues, including the PAP with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah concerning the state of Nagaland.
In a letter addressed to Amit Shah, Neiphiu Rio stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs has from December 17, 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 said since 2010, the States of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland were being excluded from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime with certain conditions.
While it is understood that the prevailing security situation in Manipur, and the reported influx of Myanmar refugees into Mizoram in recent years are a matter of concern and perhaps may have been the reasons for re-imposition of PAP by the Central Government, the situation in Nagaland is vastly different from others, Rio stated.
“Our State has been enjoying one of the most peaceful periods since statehood with no noticeable security concerns. In addition, 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 stated.
Rio felt that re-imposition of PAP regime in Nagaland may not be warranted. In fact, just about a week after the re-imposition of the PAP, while speaking in the plenary session for NEC held on December 21, 2024 at Agartala, Rio said, he had drawn the kind attention of everyone concerned on this matter.
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.
Rio mentioned that the State Cabinet also on January 6, 2025 and March 27, 2025 deliberated on the re-imposition of PAP and the State Government wrote to MHA on January 22, 2025 seeking revisiting the decision of re- imposition of PAP regime in Nagaland and restoring the relaxation granted to Nagaland earlier.
Subsequently, his letters dated July 18, 2025 and September 10, 2025 again requested for a review of re-imposition of PAP in Nagaland and for considering relaxing it, subject to conditions deemed appropriate.
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In his earlier letter seeking relaxation, he has claimed that Nagaland has emerged as a global tourism destination, driven largely by the success of Nagaland “Land of Festivals” tourism policy. This 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 stated. However, the imposition of the PAP regime has the potential to negatively impact all these gains, he added.
The letter stated because of various reasons the state has remained deprived of private sector participation with very little investment from outside in its economy. 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, it stated.
It also mentioned that Naga artists and cultural ambassadors are regularly representing India internationally, at prominent international events and festivals, projecting our country’s vibrant cultural identity and diversity. 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.
Rio stated that the entire matter concerning the PAP regime has attained a further sense of urgency owing to the approaching festive season and the Hornbill Festival 2025 of the State, which 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 December 1, 2025 just a few weeks away from now.
“It is being reported 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. 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 said.
He mentioned 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.
