GUWAHATI: Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the visionary leadership of the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state is making unprecedented progress. Assam is setting new records in the fields of trade, technology and tourism and is becoming a major centre for national and global investment. He was addressing the Valedictory Session at ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’, on Thursday.
Goyal further stated that there are 7 D’s which are playing a key role in the development of Assam, which include Democracy; Demography; Demand; Diversity; Decisive leadership; Dependability and Digitalization. “These 7 D’s are the future of Assam and all stakeholders have to leverage these and take advantage,” he added.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam said that ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’ was a historic occasion for the State with historic investment commitments and laid the course of future development of Assam. This is Assam’s defining moment and Assam is entering a new era of development with India’s first semiconductor OSAT facility & Bio refinery, new airport, upcoming data centres and much more, he added.
Harsha Vardhan Agarwal, President, FICCI said that FICCI has always believed that public-private partnerships are fundamental to industrial growth. We are committed to working with the Assam government in strengthening this collaboration — whether it is in fostering entrepreneurship, skilling the youth, or enhancing ease of doing business. The pre-Summit activities — including roadshows, the Ambassadors’ Meet and bilateral engagements — have already generated strong interest, and we at FICCI will ensure that this momentum is sustained, he added.
“Assam’s transformation is evident in its expanding industrial base. The state has already attracted marquee investments across key sectors. As a leader in tea, crude oil and silk production, the state is now accelerating its journey into new-age industries such as electronics, renewable energy and logistics,” emphasized Mr Agarwal.
FICCI is the Industry Partner to ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’
Ms Jyoti Vij, Director General, FICCI, while addressing the session on ‘The Future of Export Logistics in Assam: Transforming Regional Export’, said that ‘A’ for Assam is now synonymous with ‘A’ for action and this ‘Action’ in ‘Assam’ can catapult the state into a higher growth trajectory. In the Act East Act Fast Act First, Assam has acted fast and is first to seize the opportunity. The Government of Assam now aims to double its economy by 2030, she added.
“India’s continued rise, its Act East Policy focusing on Regional integration of North East with ASEAN countries, investments in infrastructure in Assam & North East Region and efforts by the Government of Assam in attracting investments and putting in place the logistics infrastructure are some of the factors that can help transform the exports from the region,” highlighted Ms Vij.
Dr Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Govt of Assam; Mr Prakash Gaur, CEO, National Highways, Logistics Management Limited (NHLML); Mr Abhishek Dev, Chairman, Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA); Ms Mio Oka, Country Director, Asian Development Bank; Mr Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director, World Bank; Dr D J Pandian, Director General, New Development Bank; Mr Imad Fakhoury, Regional Director, International Finance Corporation; Mr Bhaskar Jyoti Phukan, MD, NRL; Dr Randhir Thakur, MD, Tata Electronics; Mr Rinkesh Satija, COO & Head – Supply Chain, PepsiCo India and South Asia; Mr Sajjan Bhajanka, Chairman, Century Plyboards (I) Limited also shared their perspective during the session.
