ASSAM and Nagaland Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Neiphiu Rio have agreed in principle to go ahead with oil exploration in areas along their disputed boundary for the economic benefit of both States. Sarma and Rio reached an understanding during a meeting on Thursday night, hours after Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Governments signed an agreement to resolve their over five-decade-old border dispute.

 

Assam and Nagaland are exploring all options to bring an end to the decadesold border imbroglio in an amicable manner, an Assam Government statement said. During their one-toone discussion here, the two Chief Ministers discussed issues of mutual interest and collaboration on oil exploration along the inter-state boundary, it said. Rio told reporters that Assam and Nagaland have in principle decided to go for an MoU on oil exploration in the disputed areas so that oil can be extracted and royalties can be shared between the neighbouring states. “Once it is formalised, there is huge potential for exploration of oil inside Nagaland also. And to move forward as the country needs oil in a big way,” the Chief Minister said.