Northeast India has made remarkable progress in the last ten years, overcoming violence, center negligence, and instability. The region has moved towards peace, stability, and development. In the last decade, violent incidents in the Northeast have reduced by 71% and civilian deaths by 86%. Its annual growth rate is now between 9.5% and 11%, more than the national average. Today, PM Modi’s ‘Act East Policy’ has ensured that the Northeast is not only perceived as one of the crucial parts in the Vision Viksit Bharat 2047 journey but also developed as a major gateway for trade and cultural cooperation with South-East Asia.
Northeast India is a unique region of possibilities. Strategically, economically, and culturally significant, this region also holds immense potential for industrial development, especially in tourism, Agro-food processing, textile manufacturing, handloom and handicrafts, energy, and other key sectors. Linking these possibilities with industrialization can strengthen Northeast India as a dynamic economic engine. To fulfill this objective, the ‘Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025’ was recently organized at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. This summit has emerged as a strong platform for private investment in Northeast India, where global and domestic investors have expressed commitments for large-scale investment. For example, Vedanta Group has announced an investment of ₹80,000 crore, Reliance Group ₹75,000 crore, and Adani Group ₹50,000 crore. This event, held in the country’s capital, highlights the fact that Northeast India, which was once known for insurgency, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and separatist movements, is today becoming the new hub of industrial development and inclusiveness.
In fact, in the last decade, many important infrastructure projects have been started in the Northeast, which have connected the region to the mainstream and strengthened its strategic and economic position. For example, the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, which is under construction and about 19 km long, is the longest river bridge in the country. This will reduce the distance between Assam and Meghalaya by about 203 km. Similarly, the Sivok-Rangpo rail project is progressing at a rapid pace, which will connect Sivok in Darjeeling to Rangpo in Sikkim. It is imperative from a strategic point of view, especially for this region near the China border. Currently, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation is working on projects worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore in the Northeast region. While the total length of national highways in Northeast India was only 8,480 km till 2013-14, it has increased to 15,735 km in 2022-23. Similarly, significant progress has also been observed in air connectivity. While only nine airports were operational earlier, now their number has increased to 17. These efforts have not only simplified regional transportation but have also given new momentum to tourism.
There are immense possibilities for tourism in the Northeast. Realizing this, the Modi Government at the center is spending an amount of ₹ 1502.48 crore in the Northeast to develop religious and cultural places under the ‘Swadesh Darshan’ and ‘Prasad’ schemes. Apart from this, a special focus is also on network connectivity. A total of ₹3,466 crore has been spent since 2014 to strengthen digital and communication infrastructure and work on providing 4G and 5G connectivity in 4,525 villages across the northeast, which is progressing rapidly.
Northeast India: the new center of industrial development
The rising story of Northeast India is not limited to just infrastructure; this region is now becoming an attractive center for industrial investment. This development is now taking place in areas like semiconductors, a strategic dimension of the future. Currently, the central government has approved the establishment of Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Private Limited in Assam, which will be the most significant industrial venture in the region so far, with an investment of about ₹27,000 crore. This will not only create new employment opportunities locally but will also mark the Northeast on India’s semiconductor manufacturing map. Additionally, under the National Bamboo Mission, 208 product development and processing units have been established in the region by March 2022, which is an essential step towards better utilization of local resources and local economic empowerment.
Peaceful Northeast: An Engine for India’s Development
In the last ten years, the Northeast has emerged from the shadow of conflict, insurgency, and center negligence. Under the new Modi government in the center, it has made a remarkable journey towards peace, stability, and development. The foundation of lasting peace has now been laid in this region. In the last ten years, violent incidents in the Northeast have declined by 71% and civilian deaths by 86%. This transformation also reflects the changing social and political scenario of the region. So far, through several peace agreements, about 10,574 armed youths have surrendered and returned to the mainstream of society. The crucial success of the Modi Government is the phased removal of debated laws like AFSPA. It has been removed from 60% of Assam’s area, seven districts of Nagaland, most parts of Arunachal Pradesh, and states like Tripura and Meghalaya. Along with this, progress has been achieved in peacefully resolving long-pending inter-state border disputes, such as those between Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. As a result, the Northeast now records an annual growth rate between 9.5% and 11%, significantly higher than the national average of 6.5% to 7.5%. The ‘Act East Policy’, which replaced the ‘Look East Policy’, has connected the region to the mainstream and made it a gateway for trade, communication, and cultural cooperation with South-East Asian countries.
Northeast: A strategic gateway to South-East Asian countries
The Northeast region is a ‘strategic bridge’ between India and South-East Asian countries due to its geographical importance. The ‘Act East Policy’ of the Modi Government is now connecting this region with new dimensions of trade, connectivity, and cultural cooperation. Currently, work is being done on many strategic projects to connect Northeast India with South-East Asia. Among these, the prominent developments are the ‘India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway’ and the ‘Kaladan Multi-Modal Transport Project’. The India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project covers about 1,360 km of international road connectivity from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand via Tamu in Myanmar. Similarly, the Kaladan Project connects Kolkata Port to Sittwe Port in Myanmar, and from there, it establishes direct connectivity to Mizoram via the Kaladan River and road. As infrastructure, trade corridors, and international cooperation expand, the Northeast region is also becoming a powerful pillar of the country’s foreign policy. This region connects India with South-East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
Rising Northeast: The Result of the Modi government’s Consistent Efforts
The multi-dimensional transformation that has taken place in Northeast India is a testimony to the dedicated efforts of the Modi government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has visited the Northeast about 65 times so far, which is a record for the visits made by any Prime Minister. Additionally, the central government has taken steps to strengthen cooperation with the region by ensuring the active involvement of Union Ministers. Union Ministers have made over 700 overnight visits to the Northeast as part of this effort. The Modi government’s commitment to this region can also be evident in the Budgetary allocation. In the Union Budget 2025-26, a provision of ₹5,915 crore was made for the Ministry of Development of the Northeastern Region (DONER), which is an increase of 47 percent compared to last year. Not only this, but all the central ministries have also been directed to spend a minimum of 10 percent of the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) in this region. The effect of this has been that the amount of ₹1,05,833.28 crore has been allocated for the Northeast by 54 ministries in the year 2025-26. Apart from this, the “Pradhan Mantri-Divine Scheme” was started in 2022-23 for the overall development of the Northeast. Under this, the Northeast is to be strengthened at every level, from infrastructure to social welfare and economic inclusion, at a total cost of ₹6,600 crore. Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Act East Policy’ has not only included the Northeast in the mainstream, but today this region is also leading the country’s economic progress.
This progress in the Northeast is extremely important not only from an economic point of view but also from a security and strategic point of view. Northeast India shares its borders with countries like China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, which is why this region is considered sensitive from a defense point of view. For this reason, constructing fast and strong roads, large bridges, and airstrips will play an important role in making military supplies, quick deployment, and security preparations effective in emergencies.
