GUWAHATI: With Assam chief minister
Sarbananda Sonowal by her side at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Singapore on Sunday, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj pushed the northeast as a "pitch to South East Asia" while emphasizing on greater India-ASEAN cooperation for mutual growth.
Swaraj introduced Sonowal as the 'symbol of resurgence of India's north-east' after the latter launched the roadshow calling investors to participate at the "Advantage Assam: Global Investors' Summit" in Guwahati next month.
"It is a year of milestones. India and ASEAN relationship becomes 25 years old and since then our ties of partnership has evolved into a strategic partnership. ASEAN region is at the height of our Act East Policy and as a symbol of that chief minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal is attending the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas", Swaraj said.
Giving a major push to the northeastern region, Swaraj said, "Our north-east region will prosper when there is greater collective push with South East Asia and North East becomes a pitch to South East Asia. It is important to realize their growth for India-ASEAN ties".
She also underlined the importance of India's economic growth for better India-ASEAN relationship. "As Indian economy grows, our ties will deepen, our trade will be cheaper and investment flow will grow", she said adding that the Indian states play a vital role in the progress of the country and they are important in advancing India's economic ties with the world.
Later Swaraj and Sonowal also met minister for foreign affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan and discussed bilateral issues for the promotion of India-Singapore relations.
Reiterating state government's resolve in playing a proactive role towards the success of Act East Policy, Sonowal said that his government is committed to step up its efforts in increasing interactions with ASEAN countries including enhancing people to people contact and trade and other relations.
Addressing the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Sonowal said, "Assam and other Northeastern states are close to ASEAN nations. We have land borders with Myanmar. Many of ASEAN capitals are within 2,000 kilometre flying distance from Guwahati which is comparable to flying distance of Guwahati to many Indian cities. We are keen to start flights between Guwahati and ASEAN capitals. The construction of a new terminal building at Guwahati airport is going to start soon. There is a motorable road link, the ASEAN trilateral highway connecting North East and ASEAN".
Sonowal said that both the Brahmaputra and Barak along with their many tributaries have a huge potential for river transport, tourism and industry. He highlighted the raw silk of the state, which ranks third amongst the raw silk producing states in India, besides talking about the NE region that has the highest concentration of bamboo resources in the country. Sonowal pointed out that apart from the tea, Assam also has 20 golf courses and heritage clubs embedded in the scenic tea gardens that provides a huge impetus to tea tourism.
Sonowal said that in the run up to the February summit, the government has come up with new policy on tax incentives for setting up industries and tourism units, IT policy, biotech policy, start up policy, sugar policy, solar energy policy.
