Agartala, Jul 9 (PTI) Union Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said Tripura is emerging as India's gateway to Southeast Asia, urging industry leaders to invest in the state's growing economy.

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day 'Destination Tripura Business Conclave 2026' virtually, Scindia said the Northeast is emerging as a key engine of growth in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation.

He said the Prime Minister's Act East policy has transformed the region from India's frontier into its gateway to Southeast Asia, creating new opportunities for trade, investment and regional connectivity.

Describing Tripura as being at the crossroads of connectivity, commerce and opportunity, the minister said the conclave reflected the state's readiness to become a preferred destination for long-term investment.

He said Agartala is emerging as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia, offering businesses access to the ASEAN market of more than 670 million people.

He said Tripura's position as India's largest producer of bamboo and the country's second-largest producer of natural rubber offers significant opportunities in manufacturing, food processing, value addition, logistics, exports and technology-driven industries.

Emphasising that "investment follows confidence, confidence follows infrastructure, and infrastructure follows vision", Scindia said the Centre has transformed the Northeast's development landscape over the past decade through major investments in connectivity, infrastructure and institutional support.

He cited projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, the Special Economic Zone at Sabroom, and the Maitri Setu bridge as key initiatives positioning Tripura as a springboard for exports to Southeast Asia.

Calling on investors to seize emerging opportunities, Scindia said Tripura's transformation from a landlocked state into a gateway to the Bay of Bengal reflects the transformation of the Northeast under the leadership of PM Modi. PTI PS SOM

Act East policy positions Tripura as a gateway to Southeast Asia, boosting trade, investment and regional connectivity. Tripura is described as emerging as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia under the Act East policy, with the Northeast positioned as a growing engine of trade, investment and regional connectivity. The commentary highlights Tripura's location at the crossroads of connectivity and commerce, its access to the ASEAN market, and its readiness to attract long-term investment through expanding infrastructure and institutional support. The note also identifies sectoral opportunities arising from Tripura's strengths in bamboo and natural rubber, with potential for manufacturing, food processing, value addition, logistics, exports and technology-driven industries. Major connectivity and trade-enabling projects are presented as key initiatives supporting export access to Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal.