GUWAHATI: Assam and the northeast are poised to act as the launch pad of India's Act East policy as representatives from four ASEAN member countries-India's eastern neighbours-arrived in Guwahati for the first global business meet hosted by the state government, 'Advantage Assam: Global Investors Summit'. The two-day conclave will be opened by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Saturday.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Prime Minister Modi's announcement of the Act East Policy has repositioned the northeast as the centre of India's relations with ASEAN and BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) countries."
This will be the second time that the four ASEAN members-Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam-are coming together on Indian soil after the heads of all the 10 ASEAN member countries attended this year's Republic Day parade as chief guests on an invitation from Modi. Sonowal, who was invited by Modi to attend a dinner with the ASEAN leaders on the eve of Republic Day, had personally requested them to attend the mega event. According to a government spokesman, the Cambodian delegation will be led by tourism minister Thong Khon. Vice-minister for information, culture and tourism of Laos PDR, Ounethouang, is leading a nine-member team from his country while the Myanmar side is being led by commerce minister Than Myint and ambassador to India Moe Kyaw Aung. The Vietnemese side has two official representatives.
The other dignitaries include
Czech Republic ambassador Milan Hovorka, Germany's consulate general
Michael Feiner, Japanese ambassador
Kenji Hiramatasu and official representatives from Israel, South Korea and the US. Host minister for industry and commerce Chandra Mohan Patowary said, "Investments are key to the economic growth of the state. The objective is also to position Assam as India's Expressway to ASEAN. The Summit is based on the core principles of the Act East Policy."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
