GUWAHATI
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (February 15, 2025) said the threat perception prompting many countries to warn their citizens against travelling to India’s northeast comes in the way of attracting foreign investments.
He said foreign embassies were being told to treat Assam in isolation from other northeastern States “because we cannot be influenced” by what happens elsewhere in the region. The ethnic conflict in Manipur has been one of the factors behind travel advisories issued by several countries, deterring their citizens from visiting the northeast in India.
Assam is one of eight States clubbed together as the “northeast”.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the Advantage Assam 2.0 investment summit, Mr. Sarma said travel advisories made the hosting of major international business events difficult.
“Foreign investment is not possible if such advisories are not withdrawn. How can people invest in Assam if they cannot visit the State freely? Australia and Japan have taken steps (to remove travel advisories) through some initiatives External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and I undertook,” he said.
Reaching out
Insisting that Assam had immense scope for investments in green energy, the Chief Minister said he had asked all the embassies to treat Assam differently from its northeastern neighbours. This underlined the State’s independent investment strategy to secure global partnerships in niche areas.
“My focus is on Assam. I can neither represent the other northeastern States under a federal set-up nor do I have the authority to coordinate on their behalf. Such responsibilities lie with the Centre,” Mr. Sarma said, adding that Assam had been receiving inquiries from major corporate houses and investors in India and abroad.
Mr. Sarma said foreign embassies engaged with journalists, academicians, and other stakeholders beyond the government circle to collect feedback about ground situations before travel advisories were issued.
“We intensified our efforts to have travel advisories lifted and we hope to receive inquiries from foreign embassies within three months,” he said.
He said such advisories made Assam lose out to Gujarat and other States in terms of foreign tourists despite being richer in wildlife and biodiversity.
Foundations of industry
A mega Jhumoir dance in Guwahati on February 24 will precede the two-day international business summit (on February 25 and 26). Jhumoir is performed by Adivasis, often referred to as ‘tea tribes’, who were brought by the British from central India two centuries ago to work primarily in Assam’s tea plantations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set to inaugurate the business summit, is expected to attend the dance event.
“The Adivasis are the backbone of Assam’s tea industry and they are responsible for the start of industrialisation in Assam 200 years ago. The dance programme is a tribute to their contribution to Assam’s growth story,” Mr. Sarma said.
Tea plantation workers and Adivasis no longer associated with the beverage industry constitute about 20% of Assam’s electorate, and are key to winning elections in the eastern, central, and southern parts of the State. They are believed to be a major vote bank for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today.
Eyeing Bhutan project
The Chief Minister indicated the Assam government was keen on capitalising on Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City project, an innovative urban development project integrating economic growth with holistic living and sustainability.
A few weeks ago, he unveiled plans to build a highway and railway line connecting Guwahati to Gelephu, about 225 km northwest.
“We want investors to set up sustainable industries close to the border so they can commute conveniently between their retreats in Bhutan and plants in Assam,” he said.
The Advantage Assam 2.0 summit aligns with Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product target of $143 billion by 2030. The event will showcase the State’s industrial potential and infrastructure development initiatives.
