Singh highlights the potential of increasing trade with ASEAN
The British Government and investors from the private sector have been invited to exploit huge business potential in the North Eastern Region of India.
Minister of State for the Development of North East Region, Dr. Jitendra Singh extended the invitation during a virtual meeting with officials of the British High Commission on 19 Oct 2020.
India and the UK, the two vibrant democracies enjoy a mutually rewarding business relationship and can work together in exploring and exploiting new opportunities in the North Eastern Region, he stressed.
He sees a win-win proposition for both India and the UK as new paradigms will emerge post-COVID, with a potential for new breakthroughs in the economy, trade, scientific research and several other diverse areas in the region.
British officials have appreciated the handicrafts, fruits, vegetables and spices in the North Eastern States and expressed their willingness to brand them and sell the same in the global market.
Responding to Singh’s invited, the officials said that Britain is a pioneer in Agri-Tech and could explore setting up cold chains in the region on the lines of what they did in Haryana for processing of food products.
Dr. Jitendra Singh welcomed the British Council proposal for collaboration in the Education Sector for teaching Science and Mathematics in all the 8 States of the region.
An MoU will be signed soon with North Eastern Council to take the collaboration to a new high, said a release from the DoNER Ministry.
The Council also expressed willingness to work with Universities and Tech institutes of the region, mainly IIT Guwahati.
The Minister said that North Eastern Region has a special role to play in the promotion of trade and business relations with ASEAN as it is the gateway to the growing economies of Southeast Asian Nations, a combined market of some 640 million people.
“We are also going to have a train to Bangladesh soon from Tripura heralding a new chapter and opening new vistas in the development of this region by providing the entire region access to the seaports,” he said of India’s plans to build connectivity with its neigbouring countries and the South East Asian markets.
He also underlined the continued focus of the Indian Government to explore the alternate modes of transport that is Inland Waterways (from the Brahmaputra to the Bay of Bengal) connecting with other countries of the region as a cheaper option for trade, businesses connections and transportation.
This will boost trade across the borders especially with India’s eastern neighbours by leaps and bounds, he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that sectors like Horticulture, Tea, Bamboo, Piggery, Sericulture, spices like ginger, citrus-fruit among others have great potential for export. #exports #investment #development #infrastructure #agriculture /fiinews.com
