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Paper short abstract:

Indigenous people in India are articulating indigeneity argument fighting poverty, biodiversity protection and folklore practices. They face displacement, biological decline and cultural-assimilation. New Forest Act, 2006 claims to accommodate demands for self-rule, but implementation is hampered.

Paper long abstract:

Throughout Asia the state policies have been designed to 'assimilate' indigenous people into the national society. Elevation of indigenous rights as an international concern has made Asian/ Indian tribes/indigenous people to push for rights, local autonomy and even secession, such as in Nagaland. Tribes of India, regarded as Adivasi (original inhabitants) in peninsular India are articulating indigeneity argument in their struggles by addressing the issues of poverty reduction, indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and forest ecosystem protection, Intellectual Property rights and natural resources Practices. India's indigenous tribes range from world's most 'un-contacted' communities, like the Sentinelese, while some are advanced. The close association between Indigenous peoples, their environment, and indigenous knowledge and the threats faced by them are part of a global concern. Demise of indigenous languages, folklore and religion, faith- conversion, are other concerns. Though India is signatory to many global agreements, yet it discards some ILO Conventions and also very term 'indigenous peoples', insisting that all Indians are indigenous. Over eighty per cent of tribes, mostly below the poverty line, are subjected to large scale displacement and biological decline, in some cases. After centuries of administrative oppressions, cultural-assimilation and market penetration, a new forest law (Forests Rights Act of India, 2006) aims to accommodate demands for self-rule and people's councils are empowered to control forest land, small water bodies, minor forest products and rights on mining use of natural resources. Implementing the new law is a concern as some regions in India have obstructed the execution.