As Advantage Assam 2 begins, here is the report card of Advantage Assam 1

With just one day left ahead of Advantage Assam 2.0, eyebrows have been raised on the first edition of Advantage Assam 1.0 whether the event succeeded in fulfilling its intended purpose. The Advantage Assam - Global Investors' Summit, 2018, was envisioned as the largest-ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative by the Government of Assam. Held on February 3-4, 2018, in Guwahati, the summit aimed to position Assam as a major investment hub, attracting capital for economic growth and employment generation. 

With more than Rs 60,000 crore worth of MoUs signed on the first day alone, the event was marked by high expectations and an overwhelming presence of dignitaries, industrial leaders, and foreign delegates. However, despite its ambitious outlook and impressive commitments, the summit fell short of achieving its full potential. Several challenges and structural limitations hindered the complete realization of its objectives, raising questions about the effectiveness of the state's investment ecosystem.

The summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who lauded Assam’s progress under the leadership of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The event drew participation from an array of political and business luminaries, including Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries), N. Chandrasekaran (Tata Sons), and leading ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. The primary focus was on key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, textiles, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, petrochemicals, IT, and inland water transport.

Among the major investment commitments were:

Oil India: Rs 10,000 crore

Indo-UK Institute of Health: Rs 2,700 crore

Century Ply: Rs 2,100 crore

SpiceJet: Rs 1,250 crore (including sea planes for boosting tourism)

Infinity Group: Rs 1,000 crore (IT Park and real estate development)

Medanta Group: Rs 500 crore (Healthcare sector)

Dalmia Bharat Cement: Rs 1,100 crore

Tourism sector investment proposals: Rs 736 crore

Infrastructure investment proposals: Rs 2,347 crore

Reliance Jio: INR 2,500 crore (in addition to an existing Rs 5,000 crore investment)

The summit also envisioned sustainable development projects, such as Reliance Foundation’s University for wildlife protection and eco-tourism, a top-class football academy, and Tata Group’s advanced cancer care facilities in Assam.

Despite the grandeur of the event and the massive investment commitments, the first edition of Advantage Assam did not yield the desired results in full measure. Several factors contributed to its incomplete success:

While MoUs worth INR 64,386 crore were signed, a significant portion of these commitments remained on paper. Many investors encountered bureaucratic hurdles, slow policy execution, and land acquisition issues, causing delays or even cancellations of proposed projects.

Resident Director, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) Bibhuti Dutta talking to India Today NE said, "Although Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has set up a target of 1,00,000 crore investments, we are optimistic that the state might achieve over 300,000 crore. If we look back at the previous investments made after the first edition of Advantage Assam, Rs 27,000 crore by Tata group, for semiconductor and the inaugural of Rs 250 crore Campa Cola plant by Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), an FMCG and beverage company, developed in collaboration with local partner Jericho yesterday is significant amongst the rest. This time CM Sarma has invited investments from all over the world including local entrepreneurs and industrialists across Assam who may express their interest to invest through DICs (District Industry & Commerce Centres) even to the tune of Rs 10 Lakh. Every single penny shall count and this is really a positive sign of progress, harmony and integrated development. The chief minister of Assam is proactively looking into this, hence we are hoping for a better outcome this year than previous edition of Advantage Assam. Sarma himself visited different countries organising roadshows and invited big industrialists for investments to Assam. So this time representatives from more than 30 countries are expected. And as one of the partner country, Bhutan will also participate and promote Gelephu Mindfulness City, the visionary of His Majesty which will create a significant opportunity for Assam, specially BTR which is only an hour drive from Bongaigaon, Assam"

Speaking about the previous edition of Advantage Assam, Mr Dutta said, "It was a  good start and now the momentum has started and we could see a futuristic Assam and highly optimistic that the second edition of Advantage Assam shall take Assam to the next level and whole world is eyeing Assam as an investment destination”.

Assam, despite being the largest economy in Northeast India, still lacks the industrial and logistical infrastructure needed to fully support large-scale investments. Limited connectivity, power supply issues, and inadequate industrial zones created concerns for investors who expected smoother operational setups.

While Assam has a youthful population, the lack of industry-specific training and education initiatives meant that companies had to invest in upskilling efforts, adding to their costs and delaying project execution.

The absence of a strong follow-up mechanism after the summit led to inconsistencies in tracking investment progress. Several projects saw a lack of proper coordination between government departments and investors, leading to stagnation.

Reliance Jio announced an investment of Rs 2,500 crore in Assam in various sectors, including retail, petroleum, telecom, tourism and sports, creating jobs for at least 80,000 people over the next three years. The company expanded operations, including setting up of Campa Cola bottling plant in Changsari, Kamrup district, Assam to the tune of Rs 250 crore worth of investment, with the facility is expected to provide direct jobs for 300 youth and create nearly 1,000 indirect employment opportunities.

Simultaneously, the Assam government is set to sign two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Japan and Singapore during the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 investors summit, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday, February 15.

Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, CM Sarma revealed that Japan has expressed interest in recruiting manpower from Assam, with an initial plan to hire approximately 50,000 workers. Meanwhile, Singapore is seeking to employ nurses from the state, further strengthening its workforce collaboration with Assam.

Reflecting on the achievements of Advantage Assam 1.0, the Chief Minister highlighted two major infrastructure projects that emerged from the previous summit—the Paradeep to Numaligarh crude pipeline and the establishment of a gas grid, both of which were facilitated by the central government.

Tata Group’s cancer hospital facilities saw significant progress in state, with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore. Tata Trusts signed an MoU with Assam Government during the Advantage Assam 1.0, giving a formal shape to plans of operating 17 cancer care centres in partnership with Assam Government across 15 districts. The project will be completed phase-wise. Ten hospitals are marked under Phase 1, seven of which are completed and were dedicated to the nation on April 28, 2022, while three are at various levels of construction. Phase 2 includes the construction of seven new cancer hospitals.

While seaplane tourism by SpiceJet was an exciting proposal, practical implementation faced regulatory and operational hurdles.

Despite the setbacks, Advantage Assam 2018 laid an essential foundation for future investment summits. 

The first edition of Advantage Assam 2018 was undoubtedly a landmark event, showcasing the state's investment potential to national and international stakeholders.