Crucial Border Talks to Resume After Assam Cabinet Expansion
SHILLONG, June 3 — Meghalaya and Assam have agreed that the next round of talks on six remaining border disputes will be postponed until Assam completes the expansion of its cabinet, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Wednesday, while confirming both states have assured that cultivation in the contested Lapangap area will continue unhindered to protect villagers’ livelihoods.
Tynsong said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has signalled his willingness to resume negotiations through the regional committees but requested Meghalaya to wait until the new ministers who will serve on those committees are formally appointed. According to Tynsong, the presence of designated ministers is necessary before discussions on the unresolved sectors can proceed.
His remarks came a day after a high-level meeting involving representatives of both states to address recent tensions in Lapangap. Officials from the two state governments and district council representatives reportedly reached a clear understanding that farming and other livelihood activities carried out by residents on either side of the boundary must be preserved and allowed to continue.
Tynsong said the agreement is intended to ensure that residents can carry on agricultural work without disruption while a broader dialogue continues to resolve interstate boundary disputes. He added that both sides would endeavour to maintain a cordial and stable atmosphere in the area.
In a related development, a recent meeting in Guwahati between Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reaffirmed both administrations’ commitment to accelerate physical boundary demarcation. The two states said they will pursue a permanent settlement of the remaining six disputed areas under the “Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat” spirit.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/06/04/border-talks-set-to-resume-after-assam-cabinet-expansion/
Category: MEGHALAYA
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Publish Date: 2026-06-04 03:11:00