The Rising North East Investors Summit 2025 was held on May 23 and 24 and concluded with major investment commitments on its opening day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit on May 23. In the closing address, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said that the Northeast is becoming a centre of international cooperation and mutual interest. He shared that the summit received investment interest worth ₹4.3 lakh crore, placing the Northeast Region on the path to becoming a major economic force in the country.
The minister highlighted that this progress could not have been achieved without the consistent efforts of the government led by Prime Minister Modi, who has always shown a deep commitment to the region. He pointed out that for nearly sixty years after Independence, the potential of the Northeast went unrecognised, even though it once contributed around 20 percent to India’s GDP.
To support the region’s growth, the ministry has created eight specialised task forces focusing on sectors such as agriculture, tourism, sports, infrastructure, textiles and handicrafts, investment promotion, economic corridors, and animal husbandry. These groups are designed to help each Northeastern state develop its own growth strategy.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) has been engaging with various stakeholders, including investors, diplomats, ambassadors, public sector units, industry chambers, and companies. This outreach included nine domestic roadshows in major Indian cities, ambassador meetings involving representatives from over 95 countries, six state-specific roundtables, and several sector-focused discussions.
This year’s summit marked the first time MDoNER hosted an investment event of this scale. On the opening day, prominent business leaders such as Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, Gautam Adani of the Adani Group, and Anil Agarwal of Vedanta announced investments exceeding ₹1.55 lakh crore. Mukesh Ambani committed ₹75,000 crore over five years for sectors like agriculture, telecommunications, digital services, and local business development. Gautam Adani pledged ₹50,000 crore over the next decade, while Anil Agarwal announced over ₹30,000 crore in investments.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar noted that national highways in the region have grown from 10,905 km in 2014 to 16,207 km by 2024. In the same period, the region added 694.5 MW of power generation capacity and more than 10,000 km of transmission and distribution lines. The number of operational airports increased from 9 to 17, and 36 aviation projects were completed.
Secretary of MDoNER, Chanchal Kumar, emphasised that the Northeast is rich not only in natural beauty but also in resources, tourism, sports, and music. He said the ministry had organised roadshows and roundtables across different cities to promote investment. A recent Ambassadors’ Meet saw participation from representatives of 76 countries, and over ₹4 lakh crore in investment proposals have been received.
The summit included high-level government meetings, investor interactions, startup displays, and exhibitions showcasing initiatives from both state and central governments. These events followed extensive pre-summit activities like roadshows and bilateral meetings.
In his opening speech, the Prime Minister said that ₹21,000 crore has been invested in the Northeast’s education sector in the last ten years. This includes over 800 new schools, the region’s first AIIMS, nine new medical colleges, and two Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs). He stated that the Northeast now produces world-class talent and urged industries to make use of the region’s strengths.
In his concluding speech, Minister Scindia said the government will continue supporting business-to-government and business-to-business talks. MDoNER will act as a link between investors and state governments to ensure the timely execution of all proposals. He described the summit as the beginning of a new economic revolution for the Northeast, which he said would become India’s gateway to Southeast Asia.
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