Nagaland was established as the 16th state of the of India.

On 1 December 1963, Nagaland was established as the 16th state of India, with Kohima as its capital.

After independence, the Naga region had remained part of Assam, but rising nationalist demands and armed insurgency led the Government of India to create the centrally administered Naga Hills–Tuensang Area in 1957.

Following prolonged protests, conflict, and negotiations — culminating in the 16-Point Agreement of 1960 — Nagaland was granted full statehood under the State of Nagaland Act, 1962, enacted by the Indian Parliament.

The state was formally inaugurated on 1 December 1963, and a democratically elected government assumed office in 1964.

Since then, 1 December has been celebrated annually as Nagaland Statehood Day.
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