​​Guwahati, May 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged investors to explore the Northeast as a critical component of India’s Heal in India mission, reaffirming that the region’s climate and ecological diversity offer immense potential for wellness-driven industries.

Inaugurating the Rising North East Investors Summit 2025 today, PM Modi emphasised the critical role of Eastern India in achieving a Viksit Bharat, and underscored the Northeast as its most vital component. “For us, EAST is not just a direction but a vision—Empower, Act, Strengthen, and Transform—which defines the policy framework for the region”, he stated, highlighting that this approach has placed Eastern India, particularly the Northeast, at the centre stage of India’s growth trajectory.

The Prime Minister highlighted the significant presence of industry leaders at the summit, underscoring the enthusiasm surrounding opportunities in the region. He extended his congratulations to all ministries and state governments, acknowledging their efforts in creating a thriving investment-friendly environment. Conveying his best wishes, the Prime Minister lauded the Northeast Rising Summit, reaffirming his commitment to the region’s continued growth and prosperity.

Top conglomerates like Reliance, Adani Group today pledged substantial investments in the Northeast.

Underscoring India’s status as the world’s most diverse nation, Modi said, “The Northeast is the most diverse region of our diverse nation”. He emphasised the vast potential spanning trade, tradition, textiles, and tourism, stating that the region’s diversity is its greatest strength. He remarked that the Northeast is synonymous with a thriving bio-economy and bamboo industry, tea production and petroleum, sports and skills, as well as an emerging hub for eco-tourism. He further noted that the region is paving the way for organic products and stands as a powerhouse of energy.

He affirmed that the Northeast embodies the essence of Ashtalakshmi, bringing prosperity and opportunity. With this strength, he stated, every Northeastern state is declaring its readiness for investment and leadership.

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the transformative changes witnessed in the Northeast over the past 11 years, emphasising that the progress is not merely reflected in statistics but is tangible on the ground. He stated that the government’s engagement with the region goes beyond policy measures, fostering a heartfelt connection with its people. The Prime Minister underscored the over 700 visits made by Union Ministers to the Northeast, demonstrating their commitment to understanding the land, witnessing the aspirations in people’s eyes, and translating that trust into development policies.

He reaffirmed the shift from Look East to Act East, stating that this proactive approach is yielding visible results. “While the Northeast was once regarded merely as a frontier region, it is now emerging as a front-runner in India’s growth story”, he added.

He remarked that infrastructure is the foundation of development and that the government has initiated an Infrastructure Revolution in the Northeast. He acknowledged the region’s past challenges but asserted that it is now emerging as a Land of Opportunities. He stated that thousands of crores have been invested in enhancing connectivity, citing projects such as the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh and the Bhupen Hazarika Bridge in Assam.

Modi also highlighted key advancements in the past decade, including the construction of 11,000 kilometres of highways, extensive new railway lines, a doubling of airport numbers, the development of waterways on the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, and the installation of hundreds of mobile towers.

Highlighting the ongoing development of Guwahati, Imphal, and Agartala as Multi-Modal Logistics Hubs, the Prime Minister noted that the establishment of Land Custom Stations in Meghalaya and Mizoram is further expanding international trade opportunities. He emphasised that these advancements are positioning the Northeast as a rising force in trade with Indo-Pacific nations, unlocking new avenues for investment and economic growth.

Underscoring India’s vision of becoming a Global Health and Wellness Solution Provider, the Prime Minister stated that the Heal in India initiative is being developed as a worldwide movement. He highlighted the Northeast’s rich biodiversity, natural environment, and organic lifestyle, describing it as a perfect destination for wellness.

Modi highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the Northeast, emphasising its deep-rooted connection to music, dance, and celebrations. He noted that the region is an ideal destination for global conferences, concerts, and destination weddings, positioning it as a complete tourism package. He stated that as development reaches every corner of the Northeast, its positive impact on tourism is evident, with visitor numbers doubling. He remarked that these are not just statistics—this surge has led to the rise of homestays in villages, new employment opportunities for young guides, and the expansion of the tour and travel ecosystem. Underscoring the need to elevate Northeast tourism further, he pointed out the vast investment potential in eco-tourism and cultural tourism.

He emphasised advancements such as over 13,000 kilometres of optical fibre expansion, 4G and 5G coverage, and growing opportunities in the technology sector. “Young entrepreneurs are now launching major startups within the region, reinforcing the Northeast’s role as India’s digital gateway”, he added.

Emphasising the critical role of skill development in driving growth and securing a better future, the Prime Minister stated that the Northeast provides a favourable environment for this advancement, with the central government making substantial investments in education and skill-building initiatives. The Prime Minister highlighted that over the past decade, ₹21,000 crore has been invested in the Northeast’s education sector.

Modi stressed the growing global demand for organic food, stating that his vision is for an Indian food brand to be present on every dining table worldwide. He highlighted the Northeast’s pivotal role in realising this dream. He said that over the past decade, the scope of organic farming in the Northeast has doubled, with the region producing high-quality tea, pineapples, oranges, lemons, turmeric, and ginger. He affirmed that the exceptional taste and superior quality of these products have led to rising international demand.

“Northeast is emerging as a key destination for two strategic sectors—energy and semiconductors”, stressed Modi, highlighting the government’s extensive investments in hydropower and solar power across all Northeastern states, with several thousand crores worth of projects already approved. He noted that beyond investment opportunities in plants and infrastructure, there is significant potential in manufacturing, including solar modules, cells, storage solutions, and research. He underscored the importance of maximising investment in these areas, stating that greater self-sufficiency today will reduce dependence on imports in the future.

“Rising Northeast is more than just an investors’ summit—it is a movement and a call to action”, emphasised the Prime Minister, stating that India’s future will reach new heights through the Northeast’s progress and prosperity. The Prime Minister expressed full confidence in the business leaders present, urging them to unite in driving growth. Concluding his address, he called upon stakeholders to work together in transforming Ashtalakshmi—the symbol of the Northeast’s potential—into a guiding force for a Viksit Bharat. He expressed confidence that by the next Rising Northeast, India would have propelled itself way ahead.

The Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Saha, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region, Sukanta Majumdar were present among other dignitaries at the event. Industrialists from various parts of the country and the Northeast spoke on their various investment plans.

Speaking at the summit, Mukesh D. Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries Ltd., laid out a transformative six-point commitment to accelerate the region’s growth, spanning investments, connectivity, agriculture, clean energy, healthcare, and sports.

As part of this, he announced key initiatives by Reliance Foundation in the North-East, including bringing world-class cancer care to the region through a new 150-bed hospital in Manipur, a genomic research partnership with Mizoram University, and a state-of-the-art diagnostics lab in Guwahati. He also shared plans to establish Olympic Training Centres across all eight states in the region to nurture the next generation of sporting champions.

“The Northeast is not just rising, but to my mind it is roaring”, he said.

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