Northeast is a geostrategic asset, not a liability: Jyotiraditya Scindia

NEW DELHI: The Northeast is a geostrategic asset and not a liability, Union minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said on Tuesday, highlighting that the region, which shares borders with five countries, is perfectly placed to serve as India's gateway to Southeast Asia and even Central Asia.

Towards this, he said, Guwahati and Agartala are being developed as international aviation hubs as they are within 2-3 hours flying radius of major Southeast Asian capitals like Singapore and Bangkok, making them ideal transit points for trade and travel.

"We're making significant progress on the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway , which is 70% complete, with around 200 km of work remaining on our end. The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project is advancing steadily. This will connect Sittwe Port in Myanmar to India via waterways and roadways, with just 60 km of road pending between Manipur and Myanmar," the minister for development of north eastern region told TOI.

These efforts aren't just about infrastructure, they're about transforming trade, mobility and economic integration, he said.

He went on to add that with Asean trade valued at Rs 125 billion, the Northeast is poised to become a critical hub for international commerce. Outlining the strategy to convert MoUs into active projects post the Rising Northeast Investment Summit, Scindia said, "Over 11 months, we've taken concrete steps to transform the Northeast. The PM's vision has led to over 800 ministerial visits and Rs 6.7 lakh crore in fiscal support."

"We've added 6,000 km highways and 1,900 km new railway lines. Now, the focus is on translating Rs 4.32 lakh crore in investment intentions into on-ground realities. Each investor and proposal will be tracked fortnightly with state govts. We've also established investment promotion agencies in all eight (northeastern) states to facilitate and handhold investors, helping convert MoUs into active projects," he said.