Foreign policy initiatives also include NE development: Secretary Shringla

New Delhi: Union Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday that the foreign policy initiatives adopted by India for the development of North East are not just restricted to the neighbouring countries, but also extend further to the East. Addressing virtually in his speech at the inaugural session of the 8th Edition of North East Festival, he said, "The range of projects taken up is quite diverse and includes improvement of National Highways in Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura; hydropower in Meghalaya; biodiversity conservation and forest management in Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, and water supply and sanitation in Assam."

Regarding government projects which are underway with other countries, he said "We have been collaborating with Japan for the economic development of the Northeast. We have set up the India-Japan Act East Forum, which I co-chair with Japan's Ambassador to India, to take up projects for economic modernization of the Northeast."

Taking note of the role of Northeast in propagating trade and diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries, the Secretary went on to speak on the country's multi-faceted foreign policies and the huge prospects they can bring to the Northeastern region. He said that the region can be viewed as the link between two fundamental pillars of the country's foreign policy: Neighbourhood First and Act East. "From this perspective, the Northeast is a gateway and a portal. It binds us with some of our most important neighbours. It also connects us, and our neighbours, to one of the most economically dynamic and politically significant geographies of the world – the ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific," he added.

 Asserting that already significant works have been done in recent years to strengthen neighbouring ties such as with Bangladesh, he further said "A railway that links Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala is under construction and will be ready by 2022 when India will commemorate the 75th anniversary of its independence. Passenger trains such as Maitree and Bandhan Express link India and Bangladesh." In his speech, Secretary Shringla also mentioned the country's water-relations and joint benefits accrued from the hydro-powers of Himalaya to Northeast, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Moreover, he shared his opinion on prospective endeavours  and studies which could empower and promote the NE region in the lines of the Prime Minister's vision. In his words, "We will involve think tanks and local stakeholders in these studies. We will also support public diplomacy events in the Northeast that connect stakeholders in the region with interlocutors in neighbouring countries and South East Asia."

He further shared his views on the talent and potential of the Northeastern people and stressed on the need to harness them more so as to accomplish better upskilling of human resources from Northeast, which is in fact, another part of the initiatives. Seeing that more number of Northeastern men and women are finding national and international representations, he said "I am confident that their efforts will lead to a transformation of the region."

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