Nagaland PAP regime eased for Hornbill Festival 2025

The Government of India has relaxed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland for ten days during the 26th Hornbill Festival, following a request from the State government.
The festival, scheduled from December 1 to 10 and coinciding with State Commemoration Day, is expected to attract tourists from across India and abroad, including six partner countries participating in cultural events and business engagements. The State had requested the PAP relaxation to promote tourism, improve ease of movement, and strengthen integration with the rest of the country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the relaxation will apply only for tourism and automatically end at midnight on December 10.
Citizens of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, and foreign nationals of these origins, will still require prior approval from the MHA. The State government has been asked to monitor the activities of foreigners closely, with FROs and police authorities instructed to take action under relevant laws if needed.
Meanwhile, chief minister Neiphiu Rio, in a post on X, expressed gratitude to the Government of India and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the PAP relaxation and urged the ministry to consider a permanent easing to boost tourism, enhance global engagement, and support Nagaland’s growth.