<div>The historic Nagaland peace accord is a 50-year labour of love for leaders like Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and could be seen as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's biggest achievements in the Northeast. The accord, if it succeeds, could parallel in import to the Mizo Accord signed by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986.</div><div> </div><div>The talks received an impetus after Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014 when he pushed for a lasting solution and outlined the broad parameters for the agreement.</div><div> </div><div>The move is likely to bring peace to a region riven by a myriad insurgencies and at the centre of Narendra Modi’s plans for sub-regional cooperation with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal on the one hand and connecting northeast India with the key economies of Southeast Asia on the other.</div><div> </div><div>On Monday ( 03 August), the NDA government signed a peace pact with the NSCN (I-M), one of the largest insurgent outfits, which has been demanding a unified Naga identity and a separate 'Nagalim' State for over six decades.</div><div> </div><div>The Prime Minister described the accord between his government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland as "historic".</div><div> </div><div>The Naga peace accord took many by surprise, with the Prime Minister making a dramatic tweet on Monday: "I will be making a special announcement at 6:30 PM from RCR."</div><div> </div><div>New Delhi and the NSCN-IM have been in talks since 1997.</div><div> </div><div>The NSCN (I-M) has been fighting for an independent Nagaland, but later on demanded a 'Greater Nagaland' by slicing off parts of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The demand was opposed by the three states. </div><div> </div><div>In 2012, the United Progressive Alliance government formulated an agreement to be signed with the Naga groups, but it was shot down by Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress.</div><div> </div><div>One of the contentious questions of territorial integrity of neighbouring Manipur seemed to have been resolved with a step towards more autonomy in the Naga hills of Manipur.</div><div> </div><div>According to media reports, the boundaries of Nagaland and Manipur, which has Naga-dominated hill districts contiguous with Nagaland, would not be redrawn.</div><div> </div><div>Modi blamed the British for the misunderstanding of the Nagas in India and about Indians among the Nagas. "They spread myths about the Nagas," said Modi.</div><div> </div><div>"Today's agreement is a shining example of what we can achieve when we deal with each other in a spirit of equality and respect, trust and confidence," Modi said after the accord was signed.</div><div> </div><div>The accord comes almost two months after 18 army soldiers were killed in a major ambush carried out by Naga militants in Manipur's Chandel district. Following this, India had carried out an operation in Myanmar.</div><div> </div><div>The accord will not only inspire other insurgent groups to return to peace but also want NSCN to be partners in protecting the eastern frontier with Myanmar. The peace in Nagaland dovetailed with the government's Act East policy, the Prime Minister said.</div><div> </div>
