Ranjit Barthakur, Chairman, FICCI Northeast Advisory Council, said, “Himanta Biswa Sarma’s return as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term reflects the confidence and trust reposed in his leadership by the people of Assam. Over the last five years, Assam has witnessed transformational progress across infrastructure, connectivity, industrialisation, healthcare, tourism, investment promotion and ease of doing business.”
Highlighting Assam’s economic progress during the last term, Barthakur said, “Assam’s economy has nearly doubled over the past six years, from around Rs 2.75 lakh crore during the first Advantage Assam Summit in 2018 to nearly Rs 6 lakh crore today. The state has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing economies, with strong momentum in infrastructure creation, logistics, manufacturing and services.”
He further added, “Major infrastructure expansion during the last term, including new bridges over the Brahmaputra, significant improvements in highways, railways and air connectivity, and Assam’s emergence as a semiconductor and electronics investment destination, has dramatically enhanced investor confidence in the state.”
Referring to Assam’s industrial momentum, Barthakur said, “The Tata Semiconductor project at Jagiroad, involving an investment of around Rs 27,000 crore, has positioned Assam prominently on India’s high-technology manufacturing map. Such investments have fundamentally changed perceptions about Assam as an investment destination.”
Barthakur further said, “When Himanta Biswa Sarma first took charge as Chief Minister in 2021, FICCI had submitted a detailed agenda document and subsequently held extensive discussions with the Hon’ble Chief Minister and senior officials on several developmental priorities for Assam and the Northeast, including connectivity, inland waterways, tourism, MSME development, industrial infrastructure, agro-forestry, sustainability, ease of doing business and regional economic integration.”
“We are glad to note that substantial progress has since been made across many of these areas. The Government’s strong push towards infrastructure development, including multiple bridges over the Brahmaputra and major road projects, expansion of air connectivity, promotion of multimodal and inland water transport, investment facilitation, tourism promotion, sports infrastructure development and digitisation initiatives, has significantly transformed Assam’s economic landscape and improved investor confidence.”He further added, “FICCI had consistently highlighted the importance of improving riverine connectivity, strengthening logistics infrastructure and positioning Assam as a gateway to Southeast Asia and neighbouring countries. We are encouraged to see growing policy focus on inland waterways, multimodal logistics, border connectivity and regional trade integration, which are critical for Assam’s long-term economic growth.”
Barthakur said, “FICCI had also emphasised the need to leverage Assam’s biodiversity, cultural heritage and river systems for sustainable tourism and long-term economic development. We are happy to see increasing national and global attention towards Assam as a tourism and experiential destination, including eco-tourism, river tourism, cultural tourism and wildlife tourism.”
He also appreciated the government’s efforts towards promoting new-age industries and sunrise sectors. “The government’s focus on semiconductor manufacturing, electronics, logistics, startups and innovation-led growth has created a strong foundation for the next phase of Assam’s industrial development.”
Barthakur expressed confidence that the second term of the government would accelerate Assam’s growth trajectory further.
“We are confident that under Sarma’s leadership, Assam can target doubling the size of its economy again by 2030 and emerge as one of India’s leading growth engines in eastern and northeastern India. With continued focus on industrialisation, logistics, semiconductor manufacturing, tourism, green energy, startups, MSMEs and regional connectivity, Assam is well positioned to attract substantial domestic and global investments.”
He also expressed hope that the government’s second term would focus on accelerating development of economic corridors, operationalising greater regional connectivity with Bangladesh and ASEAN markets, strengthening inland waterways and river-based logistics, promoting large-scale IT and knowledge industries, and expanding agro and food processing capabilities to unlock Assam’s full economic potential.
Ghanshyam Dhanuka, Chairman, FICCI Assam State Council, also congratulated the Chief Minister and said, “The last term of the government brought a renewed sense of confidence among industry and investors regarding Assam’s future. The state has witnessed unprecedented focus on infrastructure, investment promotion and policy reforms, which have laid a strong foundation for long-term economic growth.”
He further stated, “From only three bridges over the Brahmaputra before 2014 to several new bridges and major connectivity projects today, Assam has undergone a remarkable transformation. Air connectivity has also expanded significantly, with flight routes increasing from around seven earlier to nearly thirty routes now, greatly improving business mobility and tourism potential.”
Dhanuka noted that several priorities highlighted by industry bodies in recent years have also received focused attention during the government’s first term. “The government’s focus on positioning Assam as a major destination for tourism, sports, culture, business events and investments has created strong national and international visibility for the state. Significant efforts towards promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening MSMEs, improving connectivity, encouraging private investments and building modern infrastructure have positively impacted the overall business environment in Assam.”
He further added, “We are also encouraged by the growing focus on multimodal logistics, inland waterways and connectivity with neighbouring countries, which can potentially position Assam as a major trade and logistics hub for the entire Northeast region.”
Dhanuka said the industry expects the government’s second term to focus strongly on employment generation, industrial infrastructure and private investments. The business community is optimistic that the new government will further accelerate reforms, strengthen the MSME ecosystem, promote manufacturing and exports, attract global investments and create large-scale employment opportunities for the youth of Assam. Continuity in leadership and policy direction will further strengthen Assam’s position as the economic hub of Northeast India.”
