Assam CM highlights historical, cultural, & social-economic ties between NE & Southeast Asia

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma speaking today at the inaugural Session of Nadi 2022 "Asian Confluence River Conclave 2022" in Guwahati highlighted the importance of the Northeastern region of India to connect the rest of the country with Southeast Asia.

Stating that there are immense historical, cultural, and social-economic ties between Northeastern part of India and Southeast Asian nations, Sarma added that we can find variants of the Assamese jaapi (a hat) and the Assamese sarai (a utensil).

“Even our Bihu dance has its imprints in Shan and other Tai communities living in and around Burma. Assam was considered as the eastern gateway for the passage of people, goods, and ideas, and these happened between India, Burma, and China,” he added.

Since 2014, under the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime, Sarma said, the Northeastern region has achieved “rapid transformation.”

Sarma also lauded the ‘Act East policy’ of the BJP-led government, adding that PM Modi has taken the Central government to the doorstep of Northeast India with a number of developmental projects.

“Our government is working to position Assam as a gateway and an expressway to ASEAN and other Southeast Asia countries,” Sarma said, before informing that the state is promoting “natural farming.”

Assam’s government is also committed to observing 2023 as the international year of millet, Sarma added.

Adding that forest accounts for 37% of the area in the state, Sarma added that state also produces some of the “finest” tea in the world.

The Chief Minister also stated that Assam is also developing its tourism sector, especially in its national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Sarma also said that Assam also has the potential for tea tourism and river tourism (because of its proximity to the Brahmaputra river).

The two-day conclave was inaugurated by Dr S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, Dr. AK Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and the Foreign Minister of Thailand, along with Biswa Sarma, in the presence and High Commissioners and Ambassadors of several countries, top experts and scientists and other dignitaries.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance, will deliver the valedictory address  of the conclave on May 29.