India's Northeast is emerging as one of the country's most strategically important frontiers for innovation, with policymakers, industry leaders, incubators and startup ecosystem stakeholders on Wednesday called for deeper collaboration to accelerate innovation-led growth across the region
NEW DELHI — India's Northeast is emerging as one of the country's most strategically important frontiers for innovation, with policymakers, industry leaders, incubators and startup ecosystem stakeholders on Wednesday called for deeper collaboration to accelerate innovation-led growth across the region.
The call was made during the Regional AIM SUMVAAD–North East Chapter 2026, organised by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, in Guwahati, Assam, where representatives from all eight Northeastern states came together to discuss strategies for strengthening the region's innovation ecosystem.
The conclave focused on building a collaborative roadmap for the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, while highlighting the Northeast's growing importance as India's gateway to Southeast Asia.
Officials said the region's rich biodiversity, bamboo resources, traditional crafts, cultural heritage and expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem position it as a key contributor to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Joram Aniya, Member, NITI Aayog, reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of the Northeast as "Ashta Lakshmi", describing the eight states as possessing unique strengths capable of driving India's future growth.
Welcoming participants, Sumit Gakhar, Head (Finance), Atal Innovation Mission, said the mission remains committed to strengthening collaboration among state governments, innovation institutions, incubators and ecosystem stakeholders to unlock the region's innovation potential.
Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, Deepak Bagla, said the Northeast's talent, natural resources, cultural richness and entrepreneurial spirit would play a defining role in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
The conclave witnessed participation from representatives of all eight North Eastern State Councils, along with officials from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs), who discussed ways to mobilise innovation ecosystem stakeholders across the region.
Experts highlighted the commercial potential of bamboo and bio-resource value chains, technology-enabled eco-tourism and grassroots innovation aimed at strengthening livelihoods in traditional industries.
Another key focus of the conclave was strengthening the region's incubation ecosystem. Industry leaders, startup founders and incubation experts discussed strategies for building resilient incubators capable of supporting startups from the ideation stage to commercial scale.