Nagaland does not have an early written history, but records from the neighboring Ahom kingdom of Assam describe the Naga tribes, their way of life, and their customs. The region faced major troubles when the Burmans from Myanmar invaded Assam in 1816. Their harsh rule lasted from 1819 until the British took control of Assam in 1826. When the British administration expanded, they took control of almost all of Nagaland by 1892, except for the remote Tuensang area in the northeast. Under British rule, old practices like headhunting and fights between villages stopped, bringing more peace to the region.
After India gained independence in 1947, Naga territory initially remained a part of Assam. However, a strong nationalist movement emerged, advocating for a political union of the Naga tribes, with extremist factions demanding complete secession from the Indian union. This movement led to widespread violence, prompting the Indian army to intervene in 1955 to restore order. In 1957, following negotiations between Naga leaders and the Indian government, the Naga Hills region of Assam and the Tuensang frontier division in the northeast were unified under a single administrative unit directly governed by the Indian government. Despite this agreement, unrest persisted, manifesting in widespread noncooperation with authorities, refusal to pay taxes, acts of sabotage, and attacks on the army. A significant breakthrough came in July 1960 at the Naga People’s Convention, where a resolution was passed for Nagaland to become a constituent state of India. This was formally realized in 1963 when Nagaland attained statehood, followed by the establishment of a democratically elected government in 1964.
Rebel activity persisted, gradually evolving into banditry, often driven more by tribal rivalries and personal vendettas than by political objectives. Despite multiple cease-fires and negotiations, the insurgency showed little sign of abating, leading to the imposition of direct presidential rule on the state in March 1975. In November of the same year, underground leaders agreed to surrender their arms and accept the Indian constitution. However, a small faction of hard-line extremists remained defiant, continuing to push for Naga independence.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), a powerful pro-separatist extremist group, was formed in 1980. However, internal disagreements led to a split in 1988, resulting in two rival factions. The dominant faction entered into a cease-fire agreement with the Indian government in 1997, but the truce has had limited success, as violent incidents have continued into the early 21st century. Additionally, clashes between the factions have intensified, with each striving for territorial dominance in the region.