Union Minister of Communications and of Development of the Northeastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, outlined a bold vision to transform India’s Northeast into an international gateway to Southeast Asia. Speaking at the 2025 Annual Business Meet of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Scindia emphasised the region’s critical role in India's Act East policy, with Guwahati and Agartala emerging as pivotal trade and connectivity hubs.

“It is our government’s resolve that Guwahati and Agartala will be made into international gateways to connect to the rest of Southeast Asia,” Scindia declared, highlighting the strategic and geographic advantages of the region. He highlighted that the flying time from Guwahati to Singapore is roughly the same as Guwahati to Mumbai, and Agartala to Bangkok takes as long as a flight to Chennai, underscoring the region’s proximity to Southeast Asia.

North-east is one of India’s fastest-growing regions

The minister said the government is building a strong infrastructure foundation to support this transformation. Flagship projects like the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport System, which integrates road and waterway connectivity with a newly constructed port, are set to unlock new trade routes between India and Southeast Asia. A 60-km stretch of last-mile road connectivity under this project is nearing completion and will enable seamless maritime trade flows.

Since 2014, infrastructure investment in the region has surged. More than ₹7 lakh crore, around 10% of India’s Gross Budgetary Support, has been directed toward the Northeast. This has translated into tangible improvements with over 6,000 km of new roads and an increase in operational airports from 9 to 17 in 11 years, and air traffic movements growing from 980 per week in 2014 to 2,200 in 2025.

Rail connectivity has also advanced significantly, with 2,000 km of new railway lines added and 19 railway projects worth ₹81,000 crore underway. Scindia shared that a new six-lane expressway, spanning 166 km and costing ₹22,000 crore, has also been approved to boost surface connectivity.

Scindia noted that the Northeast is among the fastest-growing regions in India, registering nearly 12% annual growth—well above the national average of 6.5% and far exceeding the global average of 2.5%. The region, he added, is a vital contributor to India’s economic dynamism.

Calling the Northeast a historic fulcrum of trade between the global North and South, Scindia underlined its continuing relevance in today’s trade and connectivity networks. He also highlighted the region’s demographic advantage, with over 60% of the population under 45 years of age and literacy rates as high as 90%.

“If there's a Shangri-La in the world, it's the northeast”

Responding to a question by Volvo India President and MD Kamal Bali, Scindia described the Northeast as the “Shangri-La of the world,” noting its immense tourism potential. He said that today, all kinds of tourism companies—large and small—are eyeing the region as a high-potential destination.

“If there's a Shangri-La in the world, it's the northeast and today. We've got all groups, big, small and medium, looking at that tourism potential in the northeast,” Scindia said.

Scindia also spotlighted the Northeast’s unique cultural and agricultural strengths. “Handloom, organic products, Eri silk, and Muga silk from Assam, as well as horticultural products like Tripura’s queen pineapples, are gaining international traction,” he said.

He added that Nagaland’s king chili is now being exported to Dubai, while Assam’s agarwood—used in perfumes—has global potential. “The Northeast has the world’s largest potential for agarwood,” he said, noting the signing of a ₹1,000 crore MoU to bring European brands into the region to process, market, and export it internationally.

Highlighting the abundance of bamboo and rubber in the Northeast—home to 38% of India’s bamboo reserves and 22% of its rubber—Scindia said the government is working on both top-down and bottom-up approaches to unlock the region’s full value.

“We’re engaging with large investors and simultaneously empowering local farmers and self-help groups,” he said. “By working with cooperatives and aggregators, we aim to ensure that farmers earn a fairer share of the value chain. Today, farmers receive just 25% while 75% goes to intermediaries—we want to change that.”

With ₹4.3 lakh crore already raised at the Northeast Investor Summit, the momentum is strong. Scindia invited entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses to be part of the region’s growth story: “As they say in economic parlance, first-mover advantage only lasts so long. Come, be part of this transformation.”