Guwahati, Nov 20 (IANS): Indian Army's Eastern Command chief Lt General Rana Pratap Kalita on Sunday appealed to the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) chief Paresh Baruah to come to the table for talks.

He said that the influence of ULFA-I has declined drastically at the ground level of Assam. It has some hold only in the four districts of the state, and now peace and harmony are reigning in the region, he added.

The Eastern Command chief also said that India has progressed very well in terms of military capability, economics, and foreign affairs. "We assure that the army is completely prepared to meet any emergency and any sort of challenge. At all costs, we will safeguard the territorial integrity of the country."

Reacting to scrapping Armed Forces Special Powe Act (AFSPA) from the region, he said that the law has been repealed from most of the areas of the northeastern states.

"Meghalaya and Tripura are now peaceful states. Mizoram has been progressing in that path too. AFSPA has been removed from several districts of Nagaland and Manipur. Depending on the situation, the Central government may in the future repeal AFSPA fully from this region," he added.

Lt General Kalita was attending the Purvottar Swabhiman Utsav organised by his Command.