New Delhi— Once seen as the distant periphery of India’s map, the Northeast is now asserting itself as the epicentre of the nation’s development story — and doing so with conviction, vision, and unprecedented global attention.
At the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025, held in New Delhi, two senior Union ministers — Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), and Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship — underscored the Northeast’s historic shift from decades of underinvestment to becoming the New Economic Revolution of India.
₹4.3 Lakh Crore Investment and a Global Spotlight
In a resounding vote of confidence for the region’s future, Minister Scindia announced that the summit had attracted ₹4.3 lakh crore in investment, with participation from delegates representing 80 countries.
“This is just the preface of the Northeast’s growth story,” said Scindia. “The acronym NER now stands for the New Economic Revival of India. The region is no longer waiting for change — it is architecting it.”
Recalling the early vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who in 2000 predicted that India’s rise would emanate from the Northeast, Scindia credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for transforming that seed of potential into a “great banyan tree,” with the Rising Northeast Summit as one of its most vibrant fruits.
From being neglected for over six decades post-independence, the region has now seen 730 ministerial visits in just the past 11 years — a tangible shift in engagement, commitment, and inclusion. “It has the capability not only to provide shade and shelter to 4.5 crore people in eight states,” Scindia said, “but also to power India’s next 25 years of growth.”
A Tapestry of Opportunity: Youth, AI, and Entrepreneurship
Speaking at the same summit, Minister Jayant Chaudhary echoed Scindia’s optimism, focusing on the Northeast’s youth-driven potential and the power of skilling and innovation.
“From the tea gardens of Assam to digital creators in Shillong, the Northeast is not on the sidelines anymore — it is at the heart of India’s transformation,” Chaudhary said. “We must nurture risk-taking, skill development, and build ecosystems that support this spirit.”
Highlighting a forward-looking initiative, he announced the upcoming ‘Skilling for AI Readiness’ (SOAR) programme, being developed by his ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and NCVET. The program aims to equip students across India, including the Northeast, with skills in ethical AI development.
“The future lies in AI — and India must lead by building indigenous models and preparing our youth for an AI-driven world,” Chaudhary said. “The collective spirit of the Northeast, paired with national support, is a beacon of progress.”
From Grassroots to Global Vision
The summit also featured a dedicated ‘Udyamita se Atmanirbhar Pavilion’, which showcased the stories of eight dynamic entrepreneurs trained by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), representing the growing culture of innovation and self-reliance across the Northeast.
Since 2015, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has empowered over 49,000 youth in the region with apprenticeship opportunities, and supported over 3 lakh aspiring entrepreneurs through its EAP and EDP programs.
“Mizoram’s 100% literacy rate, the entrepreneurial spark in Manipur, and the cultural depth of Nagaland — these are not isolated achievements. They’re signs of a region coming into its own,” Chaudhary noted.
The Northeast: India’s Cultural and Economic Bridge
Scindia concluded his remarks by placing the Northeast in a broader civilizational context.
“This region is not just India’s gateway to Southeast Asia. It has, for centuries, been the purveyor of trade, culture, music, religion, and tradition between the hemispheres. Its diversity is not a challenge but its strength.”
He expressed confidence that under PM Modi’s leadership, India is poised to shine as a nakshatra (constellation) on the global stage, with the Northeast lighting a crucial part of that celestial arc.
