Let us work together to make ‘Ashtalakshmi’ an inspiration for Viksit Bharat: PM Modi’s appeal at Northeast Summit

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rising Northeast Investors Summit at Bharat Mandpam in New Delhi on Friday. With India Inc in full attendance, PM Modi spoke extensively about need of investing more in the region. Highlighting remarkable transformation in the Northeast, PM Modi said that the region was once associated with conflict and unrest. However, in the last ten years, over 10,000 youth have renounced violence, marking a significant shift towards peace and stability, the Prime Minister added.

He emphasised the central government’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and Naxalism, reinforcing its commitment to national security.

The Prime Minister also outlined the government’s substantial focus on education in the region, with over Rs 21,000 crore invested in the sector in the past decade.

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Alongside education, key growth areas such as energy and semiconductors are gaining momentum, with heavy investments being made in hydropower, solar projects, and related infrastructure across all Northeastern states. Manufacturing and plant development in these sectors offer vast investment opportunities.

PM Modi described the Northeast as an emerging digital hub for India, driven by significant government investment in digital infrastructure, skill development, and education. He encouraged business leaders to partner in developing the "Ashtalakshmi"—the eight Northeastern states—as a model for a developed India (Viksit Bharat). He expressed confidence that the collective efforts being made today would yield visible progress by the next Rising Summit.

He also pointed to the growing global demand for organic food and holistic wellness, envisioning Indian food brands making their way to dining tables worldwide. Infrastructure development has seen a dramatic boost, with lakhs of crores invested in connectivity.

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Landmark projects like the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh and the Bhupen Hazarika Bridge in Assam illustrate this progress. In just ten years, the region has added 11,000 kilometers of highways, laid hundreds of kilometers of new railway tracks, and doubled the number of operational airports—underscoring the rapid and inclusive development of the Northeast.