Northeast Is a New Epicentre of India’s Growth: Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described Northeast as a new epicentre of India’s growth, saying that the region once plagued by violence, is now on a path of transformation and rapid development. “There was a time when the Northeast was only called a frontier, now it is the frontrunner of growth. From trade to tradition, from textiles to tourism, the northeast of the country is the most diverse part of our diverse India,” he said, while inaugurating the ‘Rising North East Investors Summit’ here in the capital.

The Prime Minister also termed Northeast as ‘Ashtalakshmi’— the eight Northeastern states — as a model for a developed India (Viksit Bharat). Emphasising the central government’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and Naxalism and reinforcing its commitment to national security, he further said that peace and security are vital for unlocking the Northeast’s full potential. The two-day summit, however, aims to spotlight the northeast region as a promising land of opportunity and attract both global and domestic players for investment in the regions.

Focussing on semiconductor and energy sectors in the northeastern states, Modi also announced that the country would soon get the first ‘Made-in-India’ chips produced at the semiconductor plant in the Northeast region. “The region is becoming an important destination for two sectors – energy and semiconductor. Today, the Northeast is playing a larger role in strengthening the country’s semiconductor ecosystem,” he said.

On the energy sector, the Prime minister also said that the government is making large investments in areas of hydro or solar power in every state of Northeast, and projects worth crores have already been distributed. “There is a need for large investments in solar modules, cells, storage and research, as they are the future. Investors not only have an opportunity to invest in plants and infrastructure in the Northeast but also have a golden chance to invest in the manufacturing sector in the region,” he said.

On the roads and infrastructure front, he also highlighted the connectivity and infrastructure development of the northeast regions. “The Northeast, which was once called the frontier region, has now become a frontrunner for growth. Robust roads, good power infrastructure and a logistics network are the backbone of all the industries. Trade also flourishes where connectivity is seamless. This means robust infrastructure is the first condition for any development, it is the foundation,” he said.

The government, Modi said, has invested heavily to improve connectivity infrastructure, in just one decade, 11,000 km of new highways have been constructed, along with several kilometers of rail lines have been laid in the Northeast. This is the reason that we have started an infrastructure revolution in the Northeast. For a long time, the Northeast remained in scarcity. But now, the Northeast is becoming a land of opportunities,” he added.

In the coming decade, he said the trade potential of the Northeast is set to grow manifold. “Today, the trade volume between Bharat and ASEAN is around $125 billion. In the coming years, it will surpass $200 billion, and the Northeast will become a strong bridge for this trade, a gateway to ASEAN. We are rapidly developing the necessary infrastructure to support this vision,” he said.

On connectivity, he said that Bharat-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway will establish direct connectivity to Thailand through Myanmar. “This will ease Bharat’s connectivity with countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Our government is also working swiftly to complete the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project, which will connect the Kolkata Port to Sittwe Port in Myanmar, and further link the rest of the Northeast via Mizoram. This will significantly reduce the distance between West Bengal and Mizoram and prove to be a major boon for industry and trade,” he added.