SHILLONG: Meghalaya Governor, KK Paul, on Friday, presided over the International Conference on India’s North East and Asiatic South East: Beyond Borders held at NEHU and spoke at length about the prospects of stronger ties between the state and Association of South East Nations (ASEAN).
Identifying ASEAN as a rich and resourceful entity, Paul stated that together, the association could be one of the largest economies in the world.
“If ASEAN were a single entity, it would rank as the eighth largest economy in the world,” he said.
He further observed that owing to the geographical proximity of ASEAN with the North East, the region could gain tremendously, not only from mutually beneficial trade and commerce but also from favorable exchanges in the field of arts, education, culture and sports.
Citing the Indian economic crisis of 1991 which coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union as a learning point for the foreign policy makers of the country, the Governor said that the Look East Policy of 1992 adopted by the then Indian Government to save the economy was not merely an external economic policy but a strategic shift in India’s vision of the world and its place in the evolving global economy and hence must not be forgotten as the North East is yet to learn from it in terms of cultivating extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as a regional power. The Governor also encouraged other Asian nations to facilitate and participate in extending the implementation of the Look East Policy. He also stated that the Northeast region of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar have immense potential for greater economic integration.
Speaking about the role of Meghalaya, Paul said that the State had participated in the event with a great deal of planning and aimed to project itself as peaceful, vibrant and investor friendly besides taking the opportunity to showcase its sericulture and horticulture products and highlight its tourism potential.
He said that the State and Central Governments can cooperate to promote tourism and investment, and consider hosting large scale investor summits and trade fairs with a focus on attracting investors from Southeast Asia. He added that there can be greater investments in the field sports and sports infrastructure.