Northeast becoming trade and connectivity corridor linking South and Southeast Asia: Sarbananda Sonowal

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday, June 15 said the transformation of Northeast India from a region historically associated with infrastructure gaps and limited investment into a major economic growth hub represents one of India’s most significant development achievements of the past decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing the North-East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition 2026 in Shillong, Sonowal said the region has emerged as a strategic growth engine of the Indian economy, supported by unprecedented investments in connectivity, digital infrastructure, logistics, energy and industrial development.

Describing the change as a shift “from frontier region to economic growth hub”, Sonowal said the Northeast has moved from the margins of national policymaking to the centre of India’s development agenda.

The Union Minister said the region, once viewed primarily through the lens of geographical remoteness and infrastructure constraints, is increasingly being recognised as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia and a key pillar of the country’s Act East Policy.

Highlighting public investment in the region since 2014, Sonowal said the allocation for the Northeast under the Gross Budgetary Support framework increased from approximately ₹20,000 crore in 2014 to over ₹1.08 lakh crore in 2025–26, while cumulative expenditure in the region crossed ₹7.3 lakh crore over the past decade. He further noted that the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) budget increased more than threefold, from ₹2,000 crore in 2014 to ₹6,812 crore in the current budget cycle.

“These investments are not merely creating infrastructure; they are creating opportunities by connecting farmers to markets, entrepreneurs to capital, students to education and the region itself to national and global value chains,” Sonowal said.

The Minister highlighted the expansion of transport infrastructure across the Northeast, stating that nearly 10,000 kilometres of national highways have been developed since 2014 with investments exceeding ₹1.07 lakh crore. He added that more than 46,000 kilometres of rural roads have improved access and connectivity for previously isolated communities.

On rail infrastructure, Sonowal said investment in the Northeast has increased nearly fivefold compared to the pre-2014 period, with projects worth around ₹77,000 crore currently under implementation. He cited projects including the Bogibeel Bridge, passenger rail connectivity to Mizoram and the ongoing Dhubri–Phulbari Bridge project as major developments strengthening regional integration and market access.

The Minister also underscored improvements in air connectivity, noting that the number of operational airports in the Northeast has increased from nine in 2014 to sixteen, while Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have been connected to regular commercial air services for the first time since Independence.

Calling digital infrastructure one of the defining achievements of the decade, Sonowal said nearly 96 per cent of villages in the Northeast are now covered by mobile networks and more than 40,000 villages have access to 4G services.

“Digital connectivity has become economic infrastructure. It is enabling entrepreneurship, expanding access to education and healthcare, and integrating the Northeast into the knowledge economy,” he said.

Referring to Meghalaya’s development trajectory, Sonowal said the state has emerged as an example of how improved connectivity, tourism, governance reforms and digital infrastructure can accelerate economic growth. He said Meghalaya has leveraged its natural strengths, entrepreneurial ecosystem and strategic location to attract investments in tourism, information technology, logistics, agriculture and renewable energy.

Sonowal highlighted Meghalaya’s performance in ease of doing business and governance reforms, stating that the state secured third position nationally in Compliance Reduction and Deregulation 1.0 after completing all 23 priority reform areas. He added that initiatives including the Cherry Blossom Festival and investments in transport and digital infrastructure have strengthened Meghalaya’s position as a contributor to the Northeast’s economic growth.

The Minister also pointed to the emergence of advanced manufacturing in the region, citing the ₹27,000-crore Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Facility at Jagiroad in Assam and the production of the first Made-in-India semiconductor chip in Assam as indicators of industrial transformation.

“A region once associated with connectivity deficits is now participating in one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing sectors. This reflects the emergence of a new Northeast,” Sonowal said.

As Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sonowal also emphasised the growing role of inland waterways in enhancing regional economic integration. He said the Brahmaputra and Barak river systems are being developed into strategic logistics corridors connecting the Northeast with mainland India and international markets through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

According to Sonowal, projects worth over ₹750 crore have been completed on inland waterways infrastructure in Assam, while projects exceeding ₹1,170 crore are under implementation. Facilities such as the Jogighopa Inland Waterways Terminal and Bogibeel Inland Water Transport Terminal are expected to strengthen multimodal logistics and improve connectivity with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Southeast Asia.

“The Northeast is no longer a landlocked region. It is increasingly becoming a logistics, trade and connectivity corridor linking South Asia with Southeast Asia,” he said.

The Minister further cited exports of products such as Tripura’s Queen pineapple and Assam’s lychees to international markets as examples of how improved infrastructure is supporting producers and expanding market access.

Concluding his address, Sonowal said the Northeast’s renewable energy potential of nearly 129 gigawatts, growing tourism sector and strategic location offer significant opportunities for future growth.

He also chaired a CEO Roundtable during the summit and interacted with leading business representatives from sectors including cement, logistics, renewable energy, steel, hospitality and manufacturing to discuss investment opportunities and economic expansion across the Northeast.