NEW DELHI, Feb 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that by 2027, all eight Northeastern states will have direct air connectivity to Delhi. Shah made the statement while addressing a gathering at the Unity Utsav held at Delhi Cantonment on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
The Home Minister, highlighting the region’s cultural richness, emphasized that the Northeast would play a pivotal role in India’s sports achievements, predicting a top-10 position for India in the 2036 Olympics, with the region contributing significantly to the country’s success. Shah also underscored the progress made in law and order, citing a sharp 70% decline in violent activities and an 85% reduction in civilian deaths over the past five years, marking a transformative period for the region.
Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to peace and stability in the Northeast, citing over 10,500 youth who have surrendered their arms and joined the mainstream since 2014. He mentioned that between 2019 and 2024, 12 peace agreements were signed with various insurgent groups, including the NLFD, Bru, Bodo, Karbi groups, and most recently, pacts with DNLA, UNLF, ULFA, Tipra, and NLFT.
The Home Minister also noted significant progress in resolving long-standing border disputes in the region. He mentioned that in 2022, the Assam-Meghalaya border dispute was settled, followed by the resolution of the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border dispute in 2023.
On the occasion of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram’s Statehood Day, Shah praised the cultural diversity of the Northeast, which is home to over 220 indigenous communities, 160 tribes, 200 languages, and more than 30 traditional dance forms. He concluded by affirming that the Northeast is an integral part of India, stating, “India is incomplete without the Northeast.”
