Northeast secures ₹4.3 trillion investment proposals at MDoNER Summit

New Delhi: The Rising North East Summit, held on 23–24 May by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (MDoNER), has attracted investment proposals worth ₹4.3 trillion, following a series of roadshows across nine Indian cities and engagements with major corporates, public sector undertakings, and foreign governments.

In a statement released on 25 May, MDoNER said it has been holding extensive discussions with various stakeholders, including ambassadors, diplomats, and investors to promote investment opportunities in the Northeast. 

These included “Ambassadors’ Meets” involving representatives from over 95 countries, six state-focused roundtables, six sector-specific industry interactions, and multiple consultations with PSUs, business chambers, and corporate houses.

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“These discussions have borne real fruit in the form of ₹4.3 lakh crore worth of investment proposals,” said Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister for communications and development of the north eastern region.

On the summit’s opening day, business leaders including Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani, and Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal announced plans to invest more than ₹1.55 trillion in the region.

Mint had reported on 14 May that the government was targeting cumulative proposals of ₹2.5–3 trillion, figures now surpassed by the summit’s final tally.

To ensure effective implementation, MDoNER has set up eight sectoral task forces focusing on agriculture, sports, investment promotion, tourism, economic corridors, infrastructure, textiles and handicrafts, and animal husbandry. Each northeastern state will also develop its own sectoral roadmap, Scindia said.

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“We will continue B2G and B2B dialogues, with MDoNER acting as a bridge between investors and state governments to ensure rapid conversion of proposals into on-ground projects,” he added.

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Sukanta Majumdar, minister of state for DoNER, highlighted the region’s infrastructure gains over the past decade. 

“National highways in the region have grown from 10,905 km in 2014 to 16,207 km in 2024. Power capacity has risen by 694.5 megawatts, and over 10,000 circuit kilometers of transmission and distribution lines have been added. The number of operational airports has nearly doubled—from nine in 2014 to 17 in 2024,” he said.

Scindia also underlined the Northeast’s historical economic importance. “For six decades after Independence, successive governments failed to recognize the vast potential of this land—which once contributed nearly 20% to India's GDP,” he said. “The ₹4.3 lakh crore (trillion) investment pipeline can help transform it into an economic powerhouse.”

The proposed investments will be spread across all eight Northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. Scindia added that the region also holds strategic potential as a gateway to Southeast Asia.

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At the summit’s curtain raiser earlier this month, MDoNER had shared a breakdown of 732 investment proposals worth ₹1.12 lakh crore already in the pipeline: Arunachal Pradesh: ₹24,338 crore (77 proposals), Assam: ₹38,685 crore (106 proposals), Manipur: ₹2,919 crore (39 proposals), Meghalaya: ₹14,753 crore (110 proposals), Mizoram: ₹5,111 crore (75 proposals), Nagaland: ₹8,671 crore (82 proposals), Sikkim: ₹6,747 crore (110 proposals), and Tripura: ₹11,755 crore (132 proposals).