Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with Bhutan Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, attended the roadshow and business session for the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025’ in Thimphu on Sunday.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Bharat and Bhutan are bound by shared civilizational heritage. Proud that our relationship over the years has evolved and cemented and we’ve continued our forward march as strong partners in growth.”
Bharat and Bhutan are bound by shared civilizational heritage. Proud that our relationship over the years has evolved and cemented and we’ve continued our forward march as strong partners in growth.
In our concerted bid to build further on this strength, happy to have launched… pic.twitter.com/uF4MN6ZyDW
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 17, 2024
Speaking during the event, CM Sarma highlighted Assam’s rapid infrastructural progress and emphasized the state’s pivotal role in furthering India’s Act East Policy.
He announced that the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’ summit will take place in Guwahati on February 25-26, 2025, and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said that starting the roadshow from Bhutan is a testament to Assam and Bhutan’s enduring bond, a relationship nurtured over centuries through cultural, historical, and economic exchanges.
CM Sarma also extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Tobgay to attend the summit in 2025.
The upcoming summit will showcase how Assam is engineering its growth in different sectors to become a driver of the success of the Act East Policy.
The chief minister said that the event aims at catalyzing investments and fostering partnerships across South Asia.
He highlighted several areas for potential collaboration, including renewable energy, tourism, healthcare, and education.
He further proposed collaborative initiatives in the energy sector, capitalizing on Bhutan’s hydropower resources, and in the tourism sector, developing circuits that would connect Bhutan’s pristine landscapes with Assam’s renowned wildlife destinations, such as Kaziranga National Park and Majuli Island.
Sarma offered to extend Assam’s comprehensive cancer care network to Bhutanese patients and encouraged Bhutanese students to avail themselves of the educational opportunities in Assam, particularly in the fields of medicine and skill development.
The roadshow was attended by Bhutanese cabinet ministers, India’s Ambassador to Bhutan Sudhakar Dalela, and a delegation of business leaders from both nations.
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He extended an invitation to Bhutanese stakeholders to participate in the forthcoming summit, emphasizing its potential to further deepen the bilateral relations between Assam and Bhutan and to explore new avenues for economic cooperation and regional development.
