External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said the northeast region is at the heart of many key Indian policies like Neighbourhood First, Act East or the BIMSTEC and asserted that the region’s relevance will grow with time. He was addressing a meeting of ambassadors for the upcoming North East Investors Summit 2025, organised by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) yesterday. Dr Jaishankar urged foreign envoys to explore the region and promote its attributes to their governments and industries.

Dr Jaishankar said northeast shares borders with five neighbouring countries, serving as a bridge between the Indian subcontinent and ASEAN. He noted that many recent initiatives involving India’s immediate neighbours emanate from this region and highlighted the importance of projects like the Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan project.