The Assam government on Tuesday invited representatives from 31 Asian-BIMSTEC, European, and other countries to explore joint investments in sectors such as oil, power, textile, tourism, agro-processing, and silk. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with the representatives and encouraged them to invest in the state.
As part of its efforts to attract both domestic and international investors, Sarma also launched a mission for the upcoming Global Investment Summit, scheduled for February 25 and 26 in Guwahati. “To further encourage companies to set up base in Assam, we are establishing a corpus of Rs 25,000 crore for Profit Linked Incentive (PLI), which will be offered to various industries,” Sarma announced.
During the discussions with foreign representatives, the Assam government highlighted the investment opportunities available in the state. Sarma chaired a roundtable conference, offering full support for setting up industries in Assam.
The meeting with Myanmar focused on expanding border trade through points like Moreh-Tamu and other locations. The Assam government proposed expanding trade to include Assam’s tea, agro-products, and handloom items. The officials also discussed enhancing connectivity to Myanmar through the Indo-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway to facilitate seamless transport.
Additionally, the two sides discussed collaborating on the Buddhist Circuit Tourism, linking sites in Myanmar with Assam’s spiritual landmarks, including Sualkuchi and the Kamakhya Temple.
The Assam government also explored sustainability collaborations with Singapore, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, green hydrogen, and sustainable agriculture. With its rich biodiversity, Assam also seeks to partner with Singapore on environmental conservation and eco-tourism initiatives.
In talks with Sri Lanka, the focus was on enhancing tourism and hospitality. With Sri Lanka’s expertise in the tourism sector, both sides discussed collaborations to promote eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and adventure tourism. Joint campaigns and capacity-building initiatives were also discussed to position Assam as a prime destination for Sri Lankan tourists, and vice versa.
European countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, were also part of the discussions, with investment opportunities being explored in various sectors. Representatives from other countries, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Czech Republic, Oman, the US-India Business Council, and Brazil, also participated in discussions on investment opportunities in Assam.
The talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) centered on the energy and hydrocarbon sector. Emphasis was placed on leveraging UAE’s expertise in oil, LNG, and LPG sectors to establish joint ventures and training programs for Assam’s petroleum and natural gas industries. Discussions also covered investment opportunities from UAE’s sovereign wealth funds for Assam’s industrial and infrastructure projects, including Smart Cities and transportation.
It is also worth noting that Chief Minister Sarma had met with industry leaders in Mumbai last week in connection with the Global Investment Summit and participated in roadshows to promote Assam’s investment potential. (With inputs from ETV Bharat)