NEW DELHI, July 4 - Asserting that the North Eastern states were the natural launch pad of the Act East Policy, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said that the region will realise its full potential through close economic ties with the Southeast Asian countries, and it will, in turn, shape the next stage of India's growth story.
Sonowal was addressing the Ninth Edition of the Delhi Dialogue themed Charting the Course for India-ASEAN relations for the next 25 Years� organised jointly by ORF and FICCI was attended by delegates from several Southeast Asian countries including deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, Union Minister of Myanmar, U Kyaw Tint Swe besides External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj among others.
Following the vision of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi�s Act East Policy that seeks to make North East India the launch pad of this policy in India's active engagement with the Southeast Asia and East Asia, and transform the region into the new engine of growth, for not only India, but also the whole of Asia Pacific.
Urging ASEAN to set up Consulates in Guwahati, Sonowal requested the MEA and ASEAN to open their consulate offices in Guwahati. This will help promoting tourism, and business of both ASEAN and North East.
�Guwahati is no longer just the Gateway to North East India. We see it as the Gateway to Southeast Asia. We have already started working to put the most modern infrastructures in Guwahati -- be it air connectivity to ASEAN, a most modern International Airport, World Class Trade Centre, and space for consulate offices of Southeast Asian nations,� Sonowal said.
Apprising about Assam Government�s latest initiative, Sonowal said that his Government recently formed a separate Department, namely, Act East Policy Affairs Department.
