SHILLONG: In a major push to position the country’s northeastern region as a premier investment destination, the Government of Meghalaya is set to host the North East India Infrastructure Summit on June 15 and 16 at the Lariti Performing Centre in Shillong.
Envisaged as a first-of-its-kind regional investment and infrastructure platform, the two-day summit aims to bring all the northeastern states together under one roof to showcase their economic potential and readiness to absorb large-scale investments, ultimately driving the region toward economic parity with the rest of the country.
Preparations for the high-profile event are already in full swing. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has officially written to his counterparts across all northeastern states, as well as to relevant Union Ministers.
Similar invitations have been dispatched to the Chief Secretaries of the region and Union Secretaries of key central ministries, yielding a substantial number of confirmations. The massive event is expected to draw more than 800 delegates from various industries, alongside key public sector stakeholders.
The core focus of the summit revolves around six critical sectors, including connectivity, tourism, logistics, aviation, digital infrastructure, food processing, and public-private partnership investments. Tourism, in particular, is being highlighted as a massive growth driver for the Northeast.
The summit will specifically deliberate on how to attract premium global brands and foster quality, sustainable tourism that boosts local economies while mitigating environmental pollution.
Organizers emphasize that while individual states have consistently made independent efforts to attract business, this summit offers an unprecedented, unified platform for investors to understand the unique geography, people, and specific state procedures without having to navigate them in isolation.
Designed to foster deep collaboration, the event will feature roughly eight to nine curated sessions, alongside comprehensive Business-to-Government, Business-to-Business, and Government-to-Government interactions.
Dedicated roundtables will allow central and state ministries to directly engage with private industry players, addressing historical shortcomings and tackling open queries regarding why investments faced roadblocks in the past and why the region is highly viable today.
Additionally, the event will host dynamic exhibitions featuring private companies demonstrating cutting-edge technologies and interventions, balanced by specialized pavilions from Union Ministries highlighting central developmental efforts in the region.
The grand scale of the summit is being made possible through a strategic collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry North Eastern Region, alongside Delhi-based think tank Build India, who are serving as the main organizers to bring business houses from across the country to Shillong.
Highlighting Meghalaya’s own proactive stance, officials noted that the state has introduced several investor-friendly policies in recent years to facilitate sector-specific collaborations.
Local authorities are highly optimistic that the two days of intensive deliberations will culminate in solid policy recommendations for the Union Government, concrete undertakings from private players, and a clear roadmap for near-future investments across the entire North East.
