‘Russian people like Assam’s tea, but we want new markets’: Himanta Biswa Sarma at Davos

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said India’s tea industry must widen its export footprint as geopolitical tensions disrupt long-standing markets, even as Assam pushes for large-scale investments in technology and manufacturing at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Sarma said Russia and Iran had traditionally been key destinations for Assam tea, but current global uncertainties had made trade more challenging. “Russia and Iran were our traditional markets. But because of the geopolitical situation, things are getting a little difficult,” he said, adding that the disruption was temporary. 

Stressing Assam’s brand value, he noted that “Russian people like Assam’s tea”, calling it a long-standing strength, while underlining the need to enter newer markets. According to him, proposed free trade agreements with the UK and the European Union had come “at the right time for the Indian tea industry”.

Beyond tea, the Chief Minister used the platform to project Assam as an emerging hub for semiconductor investment. Over the past three days, he held meetings with major global players across the semiconductor ecosystem, including IBM, Synopsys and Qualcomm. “Right from IBM, I think we met all the global players of the semiconductor ecosystem… We have met several global players in the last three days,” Sarma said.

A dedicated meeting was also held with IBM Vice President Gary Cohn to explore collaboration in skill development, artificial intelligence adoption and related initiatives. The company is expected to send a delegation to Assam soon to assess opportunities on the ground.

Sarma also met Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran, describing the group’s presence in Assam as a catalyst for wider investor interest. “There is a lot of interest in Assam due to the involvement of the TATA group, which is attracting the investors,” he said.

One of the key engagements was a roundtable with senior leaders from the global semiconductor industry, including representatives from Synopsys, Qualcomm, Analogue Devices, Thermo Fisher, Honeywell and Henkel. Discussions focused on expanding semiconductor manufacturing in Assam and strengthening diversified supply chains, with the Chief Minister noting strong interest in partnerships.

On India’s broader investment narrative, Sarma said the country had moved beyond a model dominated by a few states. “Earlier, when it came to India, people knew only four or five states. But today, when states like Assam come and represent, then I think we talk about the whole of India,” he said. According to him, every region now has the capacity to attract and absorb investment, reflecting a “whole of nation” approach to economic growth.