{"id":77558,"date":"2026-06-22T18:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=77558"},"modified":"2026-06-22T18:44:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:14:34","slug":"ashtalakshmi-growth-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-06-2026\/ashtalakshmi-growth-story","title":{"rendered":"Ashtalakshmi \u2013 The North-East at the Heart of India\u2019s Growth Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, PM Modi described the <strong>Northeast as India\u2019s \u201cAshtalakshmi<\/strong>\u201d and said the Centre has moved <strong>beyond the \u201cAct East\u201d policy to an \u201cAct Fast\u201d approach <\/strong>to accelerate development in the region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>North Eastern Region (NER)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The NER comprises eight States viz. <\/strong>Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>This region is culturally and ethnically diverse<\/strong> having <strong>more than 200 ethnic groups <\/strong>which have distinct languages, dialects and socio-cultural identities.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Region covers<strong> 7.97% of the country\u2019s geographical area<\/strong> and<strong> 3.78%<\/strong> of its population.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It has 5,484 km of international border <\/strong>viz. Bangladesh (1,880 km), Myanmar (1,643 km), China (1,346 km), Bhutan (516 km) and Nepal (99 km).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dee2de\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"888\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-179.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-77562\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dee2de; width:512px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-179.png 800w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-179-270x300.png 270w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-179-768x852.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of the North East Region<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Geostrategic Significance:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>International Borders:<\/strong> The NER shares borders with five countries i.e China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal which make it strategically important.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gateway to ASEAN:<\/strong> It is a critical link in India&#8217;s Act East Policy, serving as a bridge to Southeast Asia.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Current India\u2013ASEAN trade: ~$125 billion, projected to exceed $200 billion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Military Importance: <\/strong>Due to proximity to China, the region holds significant defense value for national security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic and Trade Potential:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cross-Border Trade:<\/strong> Projects like the Kaladan Multimodal Transit and India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway boost trade with Southeast Asia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Untapped markets and natural resources<\/strong> make it ideal for early investors in sectors like energy, agriculture, tourism, and logistics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health, Wellness &amp; Tourism: <\/strong>\u00a0Offers clean air, organic food, serene landscapes, and rich tribal cultures.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ideal for wellness tourism, eco-tourism, and adventure tourism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rich cultural diversity (dance, music, festivals) promotes cultural diplomacy and soft power.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges Faced by the Region<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Poor connectivity:<\/strong> Difficult terrain and underdeveloped road, rail, and air networks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited digital infrastructure: <\/strong>Though improving, internet and telecom connectivity are weaker compared to other parts of India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insurgency and Internal Security Issues:<\/strong> Presence of militant groups and separatist movements in some areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cross-border infiltration and arms smuggling due to porous borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Although security has improved, periodic unrest still affects peace and progress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geographic and Environmental Constraints: <\/strong>Hilly and forested terrain makes development of infrastructure and industries difficult and costly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ethnic Tensions and Migration Issues : <\/strong>Inter-community tensions and demands for autonomy or separate states lead to uncertainty in the region.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Illegal immigration from neighboring countries has altered demographics in some areas, creating social unrest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Policy Support:\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c0d9e8\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"585\" height=\"523\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-178.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-77561\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c0d9e8; width:489px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-178.png 585w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-178-300x268.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 585px) 100vw, 585px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Connectivity: <\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bogibeel Bridge (2018):<\/strong> It is a combined road and rail bridge across the Brahmaputra River.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dhola\u2013Sadiya Bridge (2017):<\/strong> It provides the first permanent road connection between northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh. It spans the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Noney Bridge: <\/strong>The Noney Bridge in Manipur, part of the 111-km Jiribam\u2013Imphal railway project. Constructed across the Aling River, it is the world\u2019s tallest railway pier bridge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sela Tunnel:<\/strong> It ensures all-weather connectivity in a strategically important border region.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GI Tags: <\/strong>As of March 2026, the NER accounted for 89 Geographical Indication (GI)-registered products. The region is known for several GI-tagged fruits and spices, including Queen Pineapple, Lakadong Turmeric, King Chilli, and Large Cardamom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Waterways: <\/strong>National Waterways in the Northeast increased from 1 to 20. There has been the development of Brahmaputra and Barak river transport systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy and Green Growth: <\/strong>Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project (2,880 MW), Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (2,000 MW).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>North East Gas Grid connecting all eight states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2275554&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong><br \/>\nContext<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">\n<p>Recently, PM Modi described the Northeast as India\u2019s \u201cAshtalakshmi\u201d and said the Centre has moved beyond the \u201cAct East\u201d policy to an \u201cAct Fast\u201d approach to accelerate development in the region.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/p>\n<p>North Eastern Region (NER)<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"\t>\n<p>The NER comprises eight States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">\n<p>This region is culturally and ethnically diverse having more than 200 ethnic groups which have distinct languages, dialects and socio-cultural identities.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-06-2026\/ashtalakshmi-growth-story \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77558"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77564,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77558\/revisions\/77564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}