A major split has emerged within the Isak-Muivah-led National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM). A group of senior leaders has broken away from the organisation and announced the formation of a "provisional government". The new faction claimed that the spirit of the ceasefire agreement signed with the Centre had "ceased to exist". The development marks a fresh challenge for the NSCN-IM leadership and may affect the ongoing Naga peace process.

The new group, which calls itself the Eastern Flank, announced its decision after holding an "extraordinary joint emergency meeting" on July 21 at Mt Horeb Camp in Myanmar's Sagaing region. The faction said it took the step to protect the future of the Naga movement. It stated that the move aimed at "saving the nation from another surrender" and "rescuing the Naga political movement from its present predicament".

The faction also announced a nine-member "provisional government". It appointed Ikato Chishi Swu, son of late NSCN(IM) co-founder Isak Chishi Swu, as its chairman. Hs Ramsan will serve as the vice chairman. The appointment of Ikato Chishi Swu carries political significance. Many see it as a direct challenge to the existing NSCN(IM) leadership led by Thuingaleng Muivah, who is now over 90 years old.

Ikato Chishi Swu joined the Myanmar-based faction in April 2025. At that time, he said he had lost confidence in the present leadership of the NSCN(IM). His decision to head the newly formed provisional government is likely to deepen the internal crisis within the organisation. It also highlights growing differences among senior leaders over the future direction of the Naga political movement.

The breakaway faction also rejected disciplinary action taken by the NSCN(IM) leadership. It declared "null and void" the expulsion orders issued against several leaders. The parent organisation had expelled Hs Ramsan and Absalom Raman on June 24. It later expelled Ikato Chishi Swu and four other members on July 7. The new faction refused to recognise these decisions and said the expulsions had no validity.

The Eastern Flank strongly criticised the current NSCN(IM) leadership. It accused the leadership of giving in to pressure from the Government of India. Referring to the expulsions, the faction said, "Those who have surrendered and yielded to the pressure of the government of India have no right to expel/terminate those who remain steadfast in striving for the sovereign existence of the Naga nation."

The group also opposed the "competencies" submitted by the NSCN(IM) leadership to the Centre during the peace talks. It claimed these proposals weakened the Naga political position by placing it within the Union and Constitution of India. The faction argued that such a stand went against the demand for Naga sovereignty. It also accused the present leadership of continuing "meaningless and endless" negotiations. The group further alleged that the leadership failed to respond after what it described as the Centre's "betrayal" of the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.

The faction declared that the spirit of the 1997 ceasefire agreement had ended. It said the agreement no longer reflected the current situation. The group announced that it would continue both political and armed resistance in its effort to protect what it described as the "sovereign existence" of the Naga nation. This statement signals a tougher stand from the new faction at a time when the peace process remains unresolved.

The Centre and the NSCN(IM) signed a ceasefire agreement in 1997. The agreement marked the beginning of formal negotiations aimed at finding a political solution to the long-running Naga conflict. The talks have continued for decades and have seen several rounds of discussions. However, the latest split within the NSCN(IM) raises fresh concerns over the unity of the organisation and the future of the peace negotiations.

The emergence of the Eastern Flank adds a new dimension to the Naga political landscape. The formation of a separate provisional government, the appointment of Ikato Chishi Swu as chairman, and the group's sharp criticism of the parent organisation indicate serious divisions within the NSCN(IM). The split may create new challenges for efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in the region.