Guwahati, Feb 25 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said East and Northeast India are embarking on a new journey toward the future with Advantage Assam, connecting the state’s incredible potential with global opportunities.

"History is witness to the major role played by eastern India in India’s prosperity. Today, as we progress towards Viksit Bharat, these regions will display their true potential," the PM said while inaugurating the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit here.

"Despite global instability, experts unanimously agree on one certainty: India’s rapid growth," he added.

He emphasised that today’s India is working with a long-term vision for the next 25 years of this century. "The world has immense trust in India’s youth, who are rapidly becoming skilled and innovative," he added.

He asserted the growing confidence in India’s new middle class, which is emerging from poverty with fresh aspirations.

"India is bolstering its local supply chains and entering free-trade agreements with various global regions," he said.

He said India’s robust connectivity with East Asia and the newly launched India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is opening up new opportunities.

"Assam’s contribution to the country's growth is increasing and it now boasts an economy of around Rs 6 lakh crore," he added.

The Assam government, he noted, is focusing on education, skill development, and fostering a better investment environment.

"In 2014, there were three bridges over the Brahmaputra, built over 70 years. In the past 10 years, four new bridges have been constructed and one of them is named after Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika," Modi said.

"Between 2009 and 2014, Assam received an average rail budget of Rs 2,100 crore. However, the current government has increased Assam’s railway budget more than four times, to Rs 10,000 crore," he added.

Modi said more than 60 railway stations in the state are being upgraded and the first semi-high-speed train in the Northeast runs between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri.

On air connectivity in Assam, the PM said until 2014, flights operated on seven routes. Now, nearly 30 routes are operational, he added.

"India is undergoing significant reforms across all sectors and levels of the economy. Continuous efforts have been made to enhance the ease of doing business, and a comprehensive ecosystem has been established to promote industry and a culture of innovation," he said.

He highlighted that excellent policies have been introduced for startups, manufacturing through PLI schemes, and tax exemptions for new manufacturing companies and MSMEs.

He underscored that a combination of institutional reforms, industry, infrastructure, and innovation forms the foundation of India’s progress.

"This progress is also evident in Assam, which is advancing at double-engine speed. He pointed out that the state has set a target to achieve a dollar 150 billion economy," he added.

The PM said Assam is emerging as a gateway between Southeast Asia and India. "To further this potential, the government has launched the North East Transformative Industrialisation Scheme, Unnati," he said. He urged industry partners to take full advantage of this scheme and Assam’s unlimited potential.

The PM said Assam’s natural resources and strategic location make it a preferred destination for investment. He cited Assam tea as an example of the state’s potential and said it has become a global brand over the past 200 years.

He emphasised that under the Make in India initiative, the focus is on promoting low-cost manufacturing in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and automobiles.

"Assam has always played a role in global trade, and over 50 per cent of India’s onshore natural gas production comes from the state. Additionally, Assam’s refinery capacity has significantly increased in recent years," Modi said.

He also pointed out that Assam is rapidly emerging in sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, and green energy.

"In the recent Budget, the Centre approved the Namrup-4 plant. This urea production plant will meet the demand of the entire Northeast and contribute to the country’s agricultural sector in the future," he added.

He also highlighted India’s significant leap in electronics and mobile manufacturing over the past decade and expressed a desire to replicate this success in semiconductor production.

"Assam is developing into a key centre for semiconductor manufacturing in India. The recent inauguration of the Tata Semiconductor Assembly & Test facility at Jagiroad will promote technological growth in the Northeast," he said.

He emphasised the collaboration with IITs for innovation in the semiconductor sector and the ongoing work on a semiconductor research centre in the country.

The PM said the value of the electronics sector will reach 500 billion dollars by the end of this decade.

He also said the country has set a target to add 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. "The government is working on a mission to achieve an annual green hydrogen production of 5 million metric tons by 2030," he said. PTI DG BDC MNB