Centre Extends NSCN-K (Niki) Ceasefire by One Year Till September 2027

The Centre and the Niki Sumi faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) have extended their ceasefire agreement for another year, keeping the truce in force until September 7, 2027, in a move aimed at maintaining peace and stability in Nagaland. The extension comes amid continuing efforts to sustain separate ceasefire arrangements with Naga armed groups while the broader political dialogue over the decades-old Naga issue remains unresolved.

The agreement was signed on September 7 by Abel Zingru Thuer, supervisor of the NSCN-K (Niki) Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFSB), and Ameka Achumi, its secretary. The Centre was represented by Niraj Kumar Bansod, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The renewed arrangement takes effect from September 8 and will remain subject to adherence to mutually agreed ceasefire ground rules.

According to the agreement, both sides seek to work towards lasting peace in Nagaland with the involvement of the Naga people. The ground rules can also be mutually reviewed and amended, providing a mechanism for the parties to address emerging issues without disrupting the ceasefire framework.

The Niki Sumi faction first entered into a ceasefire with the Centre in 2021, after splitting from the broader NSCN-K that year. However, the group is not directly involved in the principal Naga political negotiations, making the latest extension primarily a security and ceasefire arrangement rather than a comprehensive political settlement.

The development comes against the backdrop of a Naga insurgency that has evolved through decades of conflict and organisational divisions. The NSCN was formed in 1980 by leaders including Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and S.S. Khaplang. It split in 1988 into the NSCN-IM and NSCN-K factions.

A major breakthrough came in 1997, when the Centre and NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire. The process advanced with the 2015 Framework Agreement, signed between the Centre and NSCN-IM, followed by the 2017 Agreed Position with the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).

Despite these milestones, a final settlement remains challenging due to differences over issues including the Naga flag, separate constitution and arrangements for Naga-inhabited areas across the Northeast.

The latest extension therefore represents a continuation of one track of the wider peace process, rather than its conclusion. By keeping NSCN-K (Niki) within a formal ceasefire framework until September 2027, the Centre and the faction have preserved a channel for stability while the broader effort to achieve an inclusive and durable Naga political settlement continues.