Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in August underlined the need for improved connectivity with the neighboring countries for transformative growth of the northeastern region. “Regionally integrated development approaches with the backing of digital connectivity can help India’s northeastern states and it eastern neighbors to revolutionize the economic scenario in this sub-region,” he said. Mr Sangma was addressing a two day seminar ‘Shillong Dialogue’ India and Sub Himalayan Eastern Neighbours: Shared Borders, Shared Opportunities: “Transforming Geo Spaces to Celebrating Ideas, Skills, People” in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong.

“Most of the northeastern states share their borders with the neighboring countries and therein lies a huge opportunity for developing trade and economic growth which will be mutually beneficial to the region, our country as well as the neighboring countries,” the Chief Minister said. Noting tourism as a sector with immense potential for employment generation and economic growth, Mr Sangma stressed the need to develop infrastructure and facilities to improve tourist flow to the region. The Chief Minister also pushed for more cooperation in the agriculture and allied sectors and termed digital connectivity as an enabling factor for transformation of the region.

“Digital connectivity will lead to faster and more efficient market linkages,” he said. The two-day consultative dialogue is being organized by Asian Confluence to deliberate on shared opportunities, challenges and the geo-spaces of possibilities and come up with concrete ideas to root the larger vision of regional connectivity and prosperity at the ground level in the sub-region, comprising of the seven North Eastern states of India and the eastern neighbors of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal.