Assam prepares to position itself as a gateway to South-East Asia

Assam is preparing to position itself as a gateway to South-east Asia and Asean nations, the State’s Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary has said.

With South-east Asia becoming a major trade (export) destination for Indian companies, Assam has the potential to emerge as India’s corridor to the region.

“Companies can leverage Assam as a hub for their supplies to the South-east. Easy accessibility to neighbouring nations and an investor-friendly State government will be their key takeaways,” he said.

Patowary was speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of Emami’s Pacharia plant in the Kamrup district. The State is conducting an investors’ meet in February, he added.

According to Patowary, the government is undertaking the necessary infrastructure ramp-up. For starters, a new terminal is being added to the Guwahati airport.

The State government, he said, is also aggressively batting to extend the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme to South-east Asian cities. “The capitals of many South-east Asian countries are within two-hour flying time from Guwahati. We have proposed that the UDAN scheme be tweaked to cover all destinations within two-hour flying time. This will improve connectivity and affordability to the common man,” the Minister said.

In fact, the Assam government is also banking on the Centre’s proposal of dredging the Brahmaputra river from Sadia in Assam to Chittagong port in Bangladesh.

Dredging will give direct access to Chittagong port of Bangladesh, Haldia port of West Bengal and consequently this will boost trade with Southeast Asian nations, Patowary said.