Hopes for amicable settlement of Assam-Meghalaya boundary disputes have brightened. If the two neighbouring states can reach a consensus, as expected, the process may become a template for Assam to end decades-old boundary disputes with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland as well. The Assam government apprising all political parties and student bodies of the state on the progress made is a step in the right direction as it has made the process transparent. It is heartening to know that the sustained dialogue has helped the two states identify six of the total 12 disputed areas for final settlement in the first phase. These six areas- Hahim, Gizang, Tarabari, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillingkata and Ratacherra- have been identified based on recommendations of regional committees constituted by both the states. These regional committees undertook joint visits and held consultations with people living along disputed areas to take their opinions and submitted their recommendations to the respective chief minister. Several rounds of discussions at the Chief Ministerial level at frequent intervals infused momentum to the process and helped build confidence. Viewed in the backdrop of recent violent clashes on the Assam-Mizoram boundary and skirmishes along Assam-Nagaland and Assam-Arunachal boundaries, the breakthrough in talks between Assam and Meghalaya has brought home an important lesson that a protracted problem will pave the way for a permanent solution if the dialogue is continued with an open mind and in a sustained and time-bound manner. The complexities of boundary disputes vary from state to state but finding a solution becomes easier if the two sides agree to end the conflict. For Meghalaya, settling ahead of the Golden jubilee celebration of its statehood has an added significance. Failure to demarcate the boundary at the time of carving out Meghalaya as a state from Assam gave rise to the disputes which have become complicated with long delays in finding solutions. Consultations with people living in disputed areas by the regional committees were crucial in making a breakthrough. A joint visit by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to disputed areas demonstrated sincerity on the part of both the state governments to leave bitter past of conflict over the dispute behind and find pragmatic solution to end woes of people living in those areas. In the past, the discussions over the boundary disputes between the two states were primarily centred around claims and counterclaims based on historical documents and maps and hence not much progress could be made. Another reason behind boundary disputes between Assam and its neighbouring states persisting for several decades is that in most cases the discussions were limited to working out a mechanism to defuse tension following the outbreak of violent clashes. How the final settlement between Assam and Meghalaya will be implemented is a matter of technicalities and details but the important message that will percolate down to the people of both the states is that sustained dialogue will also help reach consensus over the remaining six areas at the earliest. People living along disputed stretches of inter-state boundaries have remained trapped in vicious cycles of poverty and backwardness as development works initiated by either state along the boundary are often cannot be implemented due to objections from another state. Due to the absence of robust governance, these areas turn into the haven of interstate gangs of criminals, drug traffickers who make the lives of ordinary peace-loving and under-privileged people miserable. Settlement of the disputes will facilitate the respective state government to pay equal attention to governance in those areas and it will automatically lead to improvement in development indices. Subsequently, increasing inter-state movement of people and goods can help trade and commerce to flourish. Following the statement of the disputes, the two states focusing on improving inter-state connectivity will be critical to facilitate more trade, commerce, tourism, and cultural exchanges. An increase in the interdependence between the people living on both sides of the boundary will keep mischief mongers at bay and collective memories of bitter conflict over the disputes will soon fade out. Linking identity assertion with inter-state boundary is one of the factors that come in the way of resolution of the conflict. States and communities acknowledging the importance of modern-day realities of co-existence instead of being rigid on imagined ethnic homeland boundaries can help expedite the resolution of all inter-state boundary disputes in the Northeast. India is pushing road, waterway, and multimodal connectivity with ASEAN and with neighbouring Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal with the Northeast at the centre of such bilateral and multilateral engagements. This has also pushed the Northeast on the cusp of becoming the hub of economic engagement of unprecedented scale and magnitude under these sub-regional architectures. It is in this broader context and the need for early resolution of the inter-state boundary disputes, Assam and Meghalaya moving towards the final settlement has assumed great significance for the entire region.