Dr Chubaienla Imchen, Assistant Professor and HoD, Department of Economics, Jubilee Memorial College, Mokokchung, represented Nagaland at the inaugural Nalanda Development Dialogue held at Nalanda University on March 8–9, 2026.
The Dialogue, themed “Foundations for the Future of Common Development Goals: Bridging Foresight, Building Pathways, Reviving Track-2 Diplomacy,” brought together policymakers and development experts from India and seven countries including Japan, Germany, Brazil, Nepal, China, Indonesia and the United States to discuss development pathways beyond 2030.
Dr Imchen participated as a speaker in the session titled “North East India Highlight: Conservation, Connectivity: Localization of SDGs as a Long-Term Development Strategy.”
In her remarks, Dr Imchen emphasized that development in Northeast India must move beyond conventional GDP-based measures and incorporate ecological sustainability, cultural integrity and inclusive livelihoods. She highlighted Nagaland’s strong tradition of community-based resource management and participatory governance, particularly the Communitisation of Public Institutions initiative.
She also spoke on key challenges such as limited economic diversification and high unemployment among educated youth, while pointing to opportunities in organic agriculture, agroforestry, eco-tourism and high-niche rural enterprises.
Highlighting regional connectivity, she noted that Nagaland shares an international border with Myanmar, positioning the state strategically within India’s Act East Policy and emerging Southeast Asian economic corridors.
The Nalanda Development Dialogue included several plenary roundtables, keynote sessions and discussions involving international scholars and policymakers on themes such as global development frameworks, macroeconomic challenges and regional cooperation.
The event also featured cultural engagements, including a guided visit to the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara World Heritage Site and Bodh Gaya, along with discussions on culture and the heritage economy.
