Guwahati, March 4, 2026: Bishops of Northeast India have gathered in Tezpur for the first annual meeting of the Northeast India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC), being held from March 3 to 6, 2026. The council brings together bishops from across the seven states of Northeast India to deliberate on pastoral priorities and common concerns of the Church in the region.
The Northeast council is one of the fourteen regional bishops’ councils functioning under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). Geographically, it is the largest region, covering all seven northeastern states. With fifteen dioceses, including three metropolitan archdioceses, it is also the second-largest region in terms of diocesan coverage, after the Tamil Nadu region.
Regional meetings are held twice each year. One meeting normally follows the plenary assemblies of CBCI and CCBI normally in the mother of March, while the second is convened in early September.
The NEIRBC is currently led by Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati as President. Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh of Shillong, the metropolitan see often described as the mother diocese of Northeast India, serves as Vice President. Bishop James Thoppil of Kohima is the General Secretary, assisted by Fr. Dr. G. P. Amalraj of the Diocese of Dibrugarh as Deputy Secretary. Fr. Amalraj is the first full-time resident Deputy Secretary appointed to the council in 2015.
The Northeast Bishops’ Council traces its origin to 1973, when Church leaders in the region established a common platform to coordinate pastoral initiatives and strengthen ecclesial collaboration. Among the early leaders associated with the council were Archbishop Hubert D’Rosario SDB of Shillong, Bishop Joseph Mittathany of Tezpur, Bishop Denzil D’Souza of Silchar, Bishop Robert Kerketta SDB of Dibrugarh, Bishop Orestes Marengo SDB serving as Apostolic Administrator of Tura, and Bishop-elect Abraham Alangimatthathil SDB of Kohima-Imphal. Archbishop Hubert D’Rosario was elected the first chairman, while Bishop Denzil D’Souza served as secretary.
Today the council includes three archbishops, twelve bishops, four auxiliary bishops, two emeritus archbishops, and three emeritus bishops. The gathering provides a platform for collective reflection on pastoral challenges, evangelisation efforts, and coordination of regional initiatives.
A notable feature of this year’s meeting is the participation of Auxiliary Bishop Bernard Laloo of Shillong, who is attending the council meeting for the first time. Bishop Laloo, ordained on March 30 last year, had been unable to attend the previous gathering due to participation in a bishops’ formation programme in the Vatican.
The NEIRBC functions through sixteen commissions and two semi-commissions that address various aspects of the Church’s mission, including pastoral ministry, education, social concerns, and communications. Each commission is headed by a bishop or archbishop as chairman, supported by a secretary who may be a priest, religious, or layperson.
Among these is the Northeast Social Communication Commission (NESCOM), headed by Bishop Albert Hemrom of Dibrugarh, which coordinates communication initiatives and media engagement for the Church across the region.
The ongoing meeting in Tezpur continues the council’s commitment to strengthening pastoral collaboration and addressing the needs of the faithful throughout Northeast India.