Northeast India can be crucial in strengthening Indo-Asean, Indo-BBN ties: Assam chief minister

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said India's northeast (NE) can play a pivotal role in strengthening Indo-Asean and Indo-BBN ties.

The region can not only be a gateway to the southeast Asian nations but serve as a springboard in facilitating bilateral trades and commerce with these countries, he added.

Himanta was speaking as the chief guest at the 2nd North East India Buyer-Seller Meet organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in association with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in Dispur, capital of the Indian state of Assam and a suburb at Guwahati, Thursday.

The chief minister said that since India's northeast is located in the middle of the fastest emerging nations of southeast Asia, the region has the potential to act as the springboard for the emergence of trade and commerce with these nations.

He also said the long international borders that the region shares with southeast Asian nations, BBN countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal) BBN countries, and China, give it a unique geographical advantage by being a catalyst for the development of trade and commerce.

Presenting Assam before the international delegates at the event, Himanta said Assam is the largest economy in the northeastern region.

The state has the reputation of being an industrial one because of its prolific tea, oil, coal, and tourism industries.

Assam is one of the biodiversity hot spots of the country with its 312 notified reserve forests, five national parks and 20 wildlife sanctuaries.

Taking into consideration its well-established petrochemical industry, the state can take the lead in producing green plastics which are in huge demand in developed markets, Himanta said.

Assam is also home to some of the rarest wildlife species in the world along with rich flora and fauna which offer immense scope for wildlife tourism and investment, he added.

The chief minister also said the organic products of the state such as ginger, lemon, bhut jolokia, red rice, black rice, joha, pineapple, orange, jackfruit, and banana have huge export potential.

He added: "Improved connectivity between India and southeast Asian nations has benefitted the northeastern region greatly. He said the bilateral and multilateral connectivity initiatives like the Trilateral Highway that goes from India to Thailand via Myanmar have given rise  to a new hope."

"The survey and planning work on the Imphal-Moreh Railway line is underway. The setting up of the North East Economic corridor connecting markets in Bangladesh and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region is also being actively contemplated to give a fillip to trade and commerce."

Pointing to the illegal movement of goods from across the border, Himanta advocated for reworking the customs tariff system for the mutual development of all.

The event which was organised with a focus on countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Thailand and Laos would also help in creating an enabling environment for the stakeholders to showcase their inherent strengths before the buyers, the chief minister said.

The meeting will also be a way forward towards reviving the age-old ties between the northeast and its neighbours, he added.