SHILLONG, June 15: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday said Meghalaya has emerged as a key investment destination in the Northeast, while describing the region’s transformation from a connectivity-challenged frontier to a major economic growth hub as one of India’s biggest development success stories under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the North-East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition 2026 in Shillong, Sonowal said Meghalaya’s progress in infrastructure, tourism, digital connectivity and governance reforms has positioned the state as a leading example of economic transformation in the Northeast.
“Meghalaya has leveraged its natural strengths, entrepreneurial ecosystem and strategic location to attract investments in tourism, information technology, logistics, agriculture and renewable energy,” the Union Minister said.
Highlighting the state’s reform agenda, Sonowal noted that Meghalaya secured the third rank nationally in Compliance Reduction and Deregulation 1.0 after completing all 23 priority reform areas. He credited flagship initiatives such as the Cherry Blossom Festival, infrastructure expansion and the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma for strengthening the state’s investment profile.
The Union Minister said the Northeast has undergone unprecedented transformation over the past decade through large-scale investments in roads, railways, airports, digital infrastructure and logistics.
According to Sonowal, budgetary support for the Northeast has increased from around ₹20,000 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.08 lakh crore in 2025-26, while cumulative expenditure in the region has crossed ₹7.3 lakh crore during the period.
He said nearly 10,000 km of national highways have been constructed across the region since 2014, while the number of operational airports has increased from nine to sixteen. Mobile connectivity now covers about 96 per cent of villages in the Northeast, with more than 40,000 villages connected through 4G services.
Describing the Northeast as a strategic gateway under India’s Act East Policy, Sonowal said the region is increasingly becoming a logistics and trade corridor linking South Asia with Southeast Asia.
“The Northeast is no longer a landlocked region. It is becoming a logistics, trade and connectivity corridor connecting India with neighbouring countries and Southeast Asia,” he said.
As Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sonowal highlighted ongoing efforts to develop the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers as major inland water transport corridors. He said projects worth more than ₹1,170 crore are currently under implementation to strengthen regional and international trade connectivity through waterways.
The Union Minister also pointed to major industrial investments, including the ₹27,000-crore Tata semiconductor facility at Jagiroad in Assam, as evidence of the Northeast’s evolving economic landscape.
“The Northeast is not India’s last frontier. It is India’s gateway to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific,” Sonowal said.
He later chaired a CEO Roundtable attended by business leaders from sectors including cement, renewable energy, steel, hospitality, logistics and manufacturing, where investment opportunities in the Northeast were discussed.
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