This weekend, Delhi hosts a landmark event — “Rising Northeast: The Investor Summit”, organised by the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and CMs of all 8 Northeastern states in attendance.
For decades after independence, the Northeast was viewed through the prism of insurgency and security. Movements like ULFA, NDFB, and cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh kept the region volatile, while Delhi seemed distant — both physically and emotionally.
But things began to change
In 1992, the Look East Policy opened a door, and later, the Vajpayee government gave the region institutional attention by creating the DoNER Ministry in 2001. The breakthrough came with PM Modi’s Act East Policy in 2014 — not just to “look East” but to make the Northeast a pivot in India’s eastern outreach.
In 10 years, transformation has been visible:
— Over $5 billion in highway construction, 4,950 km of roads built
— 10% of Road Ministry budget earmarked for the region
— Launch of NESIDS (North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme)
— Regular visits by Union Ministers, reducing Delhi’s emotional distance
— The present state governments in most NE states, streamlining Centre-State coordination
Now, with projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Kaladan Multi-Modal Project, and access to Sittwe & Chittagong Ports, the Northeast can truly become India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
But development must align with regional strengths:
— Hydropower: 40% of India’s potential lies here, but less than 7% is tapped
— Solar & wind energy: Huge capacity waiting to be harnessed
— Tourism: From Kaziranga and Kamakhya to Tawang and Loktak Lake, eco-tourism can rival Thailand and Cambodia if developed right
— Youth & Skills: With 80% literacy and strong English skills, the Northeast has a workforce ready to power the knowledge economy
It’s time the Northeast stops being India’s neglected corner and becomes its developmental engine.
