Tata's Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor investment in Assam underlines northeast's potential: Jyotiraditya Scindia at News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025

Union Minister of Communications and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025

Union Minister of Communications and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Tuesday said that Tata's Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor investment in Assam underlines the region's potential.

"Infrastructure is all-pervasive across the northeast. That is why today companies like the Tata Group set up a semiconductor fair nowhere else in the country but in Assam. The amount of direct and indirect positive externalities that will that will bring to that area is unbelievable," the minister said at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025.

According to him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last 10 years has talked about and ensured the execution of the rise of the Northeast. "An area of our country that was always seen as the last frontier, has transformed into the first-frontier of the country," Scindia said.

Scindia said the number of airports in northeastern states has risen from 9 to 16 in the last 10 years. "The length of national highways in the northeastern states has risen from 10,000 km to 16,000 km in the last 10 years," said the minister.

Scindia also said the northeast has been a key location for all trade deals. "India's northeast states are driving the country's economy by posting an economic CAGR growth of 12-15%," he said.

The minister remembered how about 500 to 1000 years ago, all trade from the Global South would go through the Northeast prior to going into the Middle East and to Europe. "And I think we need to revive those capabilities," he said.

Scindia also said  India is "on a roll".  "No power in the world will be able to stop us. We will be a five trillion dollar economy by 2028, 6 trillion dollar economy by 2030," he said.

He also shared his experience of working with PM Modi. He also compared working under the PM to being on a treadmill—emphasising the relentless pace and high expectations that define the Prime Minister’s leadership approach. "It's always like as if you're on a treadmill, just trying to keep up. The amount of boundless energy, commitmment, dedication," he said.

Responding to the question of whether politics was his first choice, Jyotiraditya Scindia said he did not enter the political ecosystem of the country but entered public service.