AGARTALA, July 19 - Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday said promoting greater ties and understanding between NE India and ASEAN nations would be beneficial not only to Northeastern region but also to the country as a whole.
Saying that ASEAN as one of the best illustrations of regional cooperative multilateral, the Chief Minister said Northeastern States could learn from ASEAN member countries to ensure security and equality for all nations.
The Chief Minister was speaking at Delhi Dialogue organised by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi today. The programme was presided over by Union Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh (Retd).
Deb said Tripura is all set to become the gateway and hub particularly for Northeastern region once the Sabroom-Chittagong connectivity becomes operational.
He said with rapid expansion of Railway network and strengthening of the National Highway network, transportation has become easier in Tripura to push a new beginning in bilateral trade. �I thank Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for giving an opportunity through this programme to highlight the dreams and aspirations of the NE people�, he said.
�This is the second occasion when the Chief Ministers of the region had been given a platform by MEA to contribute and further strengthen the Act East Policy declared by Narendra Modi Government�, he said.
Ram Madhav, chairman of India Foundation also stressed upon the importance of Tripura in India�s Act East Policy. He mentioned that with the availability of Chittagong-Sabroom link and rail connection through Akhaura in Bangladesh, Tripura will shortly become not only the gateway but also the hub for transportation and movement of goods for NE region as well as various ASEAN countries like Myanmar and Bhutan.
Ram Madav added the day was not far when the Agartala-Sabroom-Chittagong route will become a stiff competitor to Kolkata port. Chief Ministers of NE States, representatives from countries, diplomats and senior officers were present in the session.
