GUWAHATI: The Assam government is in touch with the Centre to materialise the prospect of having consulates of all the ten South East Asian countries here in a bid to establish better relations, greater connectivity and people-to-people contacts between India and the ASEAN region.
“We are requesting the external affairs ministry to take up the matter with the governments of all the 10 South East Asian countries. We already have two consulates of BBN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-Nepal) countries — Bangladesh and Bhutan — in Guwahati, which have facilitated better connectivity. Last year, Druk Air launched flights from Paro (Bhutan) to Singapore via Guwahati,” Sonowal said at the 2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit which got under way here on Sunday afternoon.
The chief minister said infrastructure in Guwahati, which has been pitched to be the gateway to South East Asian countries, was being upgraded considerably. “The construction of an integrated terminal at LGBI Airport involving a financial outlay of Rs 1300 crore is under way. A 65-storey trade centre is coming up here which will provide space for trade and facilitate greater investment,” he said.
Sonowal also said most of the ASEAN capital cities were within 2,000 kilometre flying distance from Guwahati, which is comparable to flying distances to many Indian cities. “With the advantage of sharing over 4500 km of international boundary, Northeast has the potential of emerging as a new growth hub,” he said.
Over 150 young delegates from Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia are attending the summit which concludes on February 7.
Underlining the need for mutual cooperation among the ASEAN countries, Sonowal said that the summit would help spearhead development in the region which will be propelled exclusively by the youth. “The Act East Policy puts Northeast at the centre of India’s interaction with ASEAN.
