By Dr. Mona Chettri India’s Supreme Court set off a storm by describing Sikkimese-Nepalis as people of “foreign origin.” As “Indian” Old Settlers fight for new rights, Sikkim’s Bhutia-Lepcha and Nepali communities face a reckoning over belonging and identity. A Nepali band playing at the coronation of the chogyal of Sikkim in 1965. Sikkimese-Nepalis have lived in Sikkim for many generations, yet their rightful place in Sikkim and in India is still frequently questioned. Photo

By Angshuman Choudhury | 12 Feb 2026 What to make of New Delhi's recent pact with the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation and Kohima to create an 'autonomous' authority in the eastern Naga hills? A rough, schematic map from 1959 showing the then North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which included parts of Eastern Nagaland. | Sourced from Picryl On 5 February, the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a tripartite agreement with the Government of Nagala

By Prof. Suhas Palshikar On the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary, celebrated as National Unity Day , on 31 October 2025, India State Stories officially launched its new series on Integration of India . The launch event had talks from two distinguished scholars Prof. Asha Sarangi (Center for Political Studies, JNU) and Prof. Suhas Palshikar (Chief Editor, Studies in Indian Politics). We present below an extract and brief overview of Prof. Palshika