Why in news?

Ahead of its flagship Hornbill Festival (to be held in Kohima, December 1-10, 2026), the Nagaland government has urged the Centre to completely withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) scheme from the state.

The festival draws over one lakh visitors annually, including international tourists — and Nagaland argues the PAP regime hinders investment, economic growth, and tourist flow to this major cultural event.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What Is the Protected Area Permit (PAP) Regime?
• Nagaland’s Core Arguments Against PAP
• The Practical Problems with PAP: Expert View
• Why the 2025 Partial Relaxation Wasn’t Enough?

What Is the Protected Area Permit (PAP) Regime?

• Issued by the Government of India, the PAP authorises foreigners to visit states along India’s international borders in areas designated as protected or restricted.
• Legal basis: Originally imposed under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958.
• Coverage: Spans most northeastern states, including Nagaland.
• Timeline of Changes:
  • 2011: PAP was relaxed for Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland specifically to boost tourism.
  • December 2024: The Centre reimposed PAP in these states, citing security reasons.
  • Since then, the Nagaland government has consistently demanded its complete withdrawal.

Nagaland’s Core Arguments Against PAP

• CM Neiphiu Rio wrote to the Union Home Ministry in September 2026, arguing:
  • At a time when states are being encouraged to compete for investments, build international partnerships, promote tourism and contribute to India’s global outreach, such restrictions place Nagaland at a distinct disadvantage.
  • A regulation designed for a very different historical and security environment should not obstruct the developmental aspirations of what he called a peaceful state.
  • The continued PAP regime creates “avoidable frustration and a sense of alienation,” especially among youth.
• Deputy CM Y Patton (also Home and Border Affairs Minister) confirmed the state is seeking complete withdrawal to ease tourism, particularly during Hornbill Festival:
  • “Nagaland is a very small and peaceful state. There is no law and order issue over here. The PAP must be removed.”
  • He noted discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured a review — but no concrete decision has emerged yet.

The Practical Problems with PAP: Expert View

• Experts highlighted the bureaucratic burden PAP imposes:
  • The convoluted application process has caused a drastic fall in international visitors.
    • On one hand we are encouraging tourism in Nagaland, and on the other, when people from outside try to visit they are required to get the PAP mandatorily.
  • Key Structural Flaw: PAP processing currently happens after visa issuance, rather than “at the source itself” when the visa is granted — leading to tourists wasting valuable travel days waiting for permits after landing in India.
    • Experts argued that since a visa is already issued after thorough verification, this alone should suffice for Nagaland, given it is “a part of India itself.”

Why the 2025 Partial Relaxation Wasn’t Enough?

• Ahead of the 2025 Hornbill Festival, the Centre had relaxed PAP restrictions following repeated requests from Nagaland.
• However, CM Rio explained why this limited relaxation had little practical benefit:
  • “Such a limited relaxation had little practical benefit for international tourism. Foreign visitors plan their journeys, purchase tickets, arrange accommodation and finalise itineraries weeks and months in advance.”
  • A relaxation announced only around the Festival dates cannot provide the certainty required for international travel planning — effectively defeating its intended purpose.
  • This underscores Nagaland’s demand for a permanent, not seasonal, policy change.

Conclusion

Nagaland’s demand for complete PAP withdrawal captures a broader tension in India’s Northeast policy — balancing legacy security frameworks, rooted in a different geopolitical era, against the economic aspirations of states now actively courting tourism and investment.

With the Hornbill Festival serving as both a cultural showcase and a significant economic opportunity, the state’s leadership argues that bureaucratic permit hurdles undermine India’s own goals of global outreach and regional development.

As the Centre continues reviewing the matter without a concrete resolution, the coming festival season may once again test whether security considerations and tourism-driven growth can be reconciled through lasting policy reform, rather than temporary, festival-timed relaxations.