Rising North East Summit 2025 draws Rs 4.3 trillion in investment proposals

The Rising North East Summit, held on May 23–24 by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER), has attracted investment proposals worth Rs 4.3 trillion (Rs 4.3 lakh crore), surpassing earlier government targets. This surge follows a series of roadshows across nine Indian cities and sustained engagement with major corporates, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and foreign governments, according to a report by Mint.

MDoNER, in a statement released on May 25, highlighted extensive discussions with key stakeholders, including ambassadors from over 95 countries, diplomats, investors, business chambers, and corporate leaders. The ministry organized multiple sector-specific industry interactions, state-focused roundtables, and consultations with PSUs to promote investment in the Northeast.

“These discussions have borne real fruit in the form of Rs 4.3 lakh crore worth of investment proposals,” said Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister for communications and development of the north eastern region.

On the summit’s opening day, top business leaders such as Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Adani Group Chairperson Gautam Adani, and Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal announced plans to invest over Rs 1.55 trillion in the region, further boosting confidence in the Northeast’s growth potential.

Earlier projections, as reported by Mint on May 14, had targeted Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 trillion in cumulative proposals, a figure now well exceeded.

To ensure effective implementation, MDoNER has established eight sectoral task forces focusing on agriculture, sports, investment promotion, tourism, economic corridors, infrastructure, textiles and handicrafts, and animal husbandry. Additionally, each Northeastern state will develop its own sectoral roadmap, said Scindia.

“We will continue B2G (business-to-government) and B2B (business-to-business) dialogues, with MDoNER acting as a bridge between investors and state governments to ensure rapid conversion of proposals into on-ground projects,” he added.

Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for DoNER, also highlighted the region’s significant infrastructure gains over the past decade. “National highways have expanded from 10,905 km in 2014 to 16,207 km in 2024. Power capacity has increased by 694.5 megawatts, and over 10,000 circuit kilometers of transmission and distribution lines have been added. The number of operational airports has nearly doubled—from nine in 2014 to 17 in 2024,” he said.

Scindia further underlined the Northeast’s historic economic significance. “For six decades after Independence, successive governments failed to recognize the vast potential of this land—which once contributed nearly 20% to India’s GDP,” he noted. “The Rs 4.3 lakh crore investment pipeline can help transform the Northeast into an economic powerhouse.”

The proposed investments will be distributed across all eight Northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. Scindia emphasized the region’s strategic potential as a gateway to Southeast Asia.

At the summit’s curtain-raiser earlier this month, MDoNER had shared details of 732 investment proposals worth Rs 1.12 lakh crore already in the pipeline, including: Arunachal Pradesh: Rs 24,338 crore (77 proposals), Assam: Rs 38,685 crore (106 proposals), Manipur: Rs 2,919 crore (39 proposals), Meghalaya: Rs 14,753 crore (110 proposals), Mizoram: Rs 5,111 crore (75 proposals), Nagaland: Rs 8,671 crore (82 proposals), Sikkim: Rs 6,747 crore (110 proposals), and Tripura: Rs 11,755 crore (132 proposals).

(With inputs from Mint)

MT