Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the northeast is at the heart of India's 'Act East Policy' for connecting to Southeast Asia and build trade and people-to-people ties with the Asean bloc.
Addressing the Global Investors Summit here, Modi said the tagline of the meet - 'Advantage Assam: India's expressway to ASEAN' - is very appropriate and not just a statement but it is a "comprehensive vision".
"We created the Act East Policy and the Northeast is at the heart of it. The Act East Policy requires increased people to people contact, trade ties and other relations with countries on India's east, particularly Asean countries," Modi said.
"Our vision is development of the eastern part of India, as the country's fast pace of development will only be effective when the people living in the northeast develop," he said.
Modi said that roads and railways are being constructed at a faster pace in the northeast and electricity is being generated at a similar pace.
--IANS
akk/rn