Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday urged the global business community to explore investment opportunities in the state, highlighting its emergence as a strategic gateway to the ASEAN region and a hub for significant economic growth and employment generation. He noted that substantial investment commitments are actively transforming into on-ground projects, particularly in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and skilled human resources, creating new avenues for enterprise and employment.
Addressing the second edition of the ICC Global Business Summit in New Delhi, Chief Minister Sarma positioned Assam as a key beneficiary of the ‘Purvodaya’ initiative, which aims to make eastern and northeastern India a major engine of national growth. The state’s expanding economic base and strengthening investment capacity are generating new opportunities across various sectors, officials said.
What was announced
Chief Minister Sarma, speaking at the ICC Global Business Summit on Friday, September 18, invited global businesses to invest in Assam, underscoring the state’s strategic location, improved connectivity, expanding infrastructure, and investor-friendly policies. He highlighted that Assam’s economy is growing rapidly, with a significant portion of previously committed investments now converting into operational projects.
The Chief Minister specifically mentioned that Assam’s nominal Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was estimated at ₹7.45 lakh crore in 2025-26, with a real growth exceeding 10 percent. This figure is projected to reach ₹8.71 lakh crore in 2026-27. The industrial sector is estimated to contribute 35.64 percent to the state’s GSDP at current prices in 2025-26.
He further elaborated that the state had received investment commitments worth ₹5.18 lakh crore through the Advantage Assam 2.0 – Infrastructure and Investment Summit. Of this, projects valued at approximately ₹3.5 lakh crore have already been converted into on-ground investments within a year, with some already operational.
Sarma also pointed out that more than 3,700 new factories have been registered in Assam since May 2021, creating employment for around 1.11 lakh factory workers. He stressed the government’s focus on sustaining this momentum to ensure investments translate into deeper economic activity.
In the advanced manufacturing sector, the Chief Minister highlighted Tata Electronics’ ₹27,000-crore semiconductor assembly and test facility at Jagiroad, which is expected to be commissioned in December this year. This facility is projected to produce up to 48 million chips a day and generate more than 27,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Regarding clean energy, Sarma announced Assam’s target of achieving 6,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. The state is also exploring opportunities in green hydrogen and bamboo-based second-generation ethanol.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the Adani Group is investing approximately ₹63,000 crore in Assam’s power sector, which includes a 3,200 MW ultra-super-critical thermal power plant and two pumped-storage hydro projects with a combined capacity of 2,700 MW. This investment is expected to create over 30,000 jobs during construction and 3,500 operational jobs.
Why it matters
The Chief Minister’s announcement signifies a concerted effort by the Government of Assam to transform the state’s economic landscape, moving it from a perceived peripheral region to a central hub for trade and investment in Southeast Asia. This push is expected to generate substantial employment opportunities for the state’s young population and diversify its industrial base.
The conversion of investment commitments into tangible projects, particularly the ₹3.5 lakh crore already grounded from the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, indicates a robust and improving business environment. This translates into concrete job creation, with 1.11 lakh new factory jobs since May 2021, directly benefiting the local workforce.
The focus on advanced manufacturing, exemplified by the ₹27,000-crore Tata Electronics semiconductor facility, is poised to bring high-tech employment and foster a wider industrial ecosystem in Assam. This includes opportunities in packaging, testing equipment, precision components, and specialised engineering services, creating a ripple effect across various ancillary industries.
Furthermore, the ambitious renewable energy targets and significant investments in clean energy projects, such as the ₹63,000-crore Adani Group investment, will not only contribute to India’s green energy goals but also create approximately 40,000 jobs in the energy sector. This positions Assam as a key player in the clean energy transition and offers new avenues for skilled professionals.
The emphasis on developing skilled human resources, particularly with a median age of approximately 22 years in Assam, is crucial for matching the workforce with the demands of these emerging industries. Initiatives aimed at skill development and global employment opportunities are designed to empower the youth and reduce unemployment.
Background
Assam’s strategic positioning as the gateway to Southeast Asia has been a cornerstone of India’s ‘Act East Policy’, which succeeded the ‘Look East Policy’ in 2014. This policy aims to deepen economic cooperation, cultural ties, and strategic relationships with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, leveraging Assam’s geographical advantage.
The state has actively sought to attract investment through various initiatives, including the ‘Advantage Assam Global Investors’ Summit’. The first edition in 2018 saw the signing of 176 MoUs amounting to ₹65,186 crore. The subsequent ‘Advantage Assam 2.0 – Infrastructure and Investment Summit’ in 2025 further solidified investment commitments, with 297 MoUs signed worth ₹2.77 lakh crore, of which ₹1.2 lakh crore has already been implemented.
Assam’s economy has shown significant growth, with its real Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growing at an average rate of 7.4 percent per annum between 2014-15 and 2023-24, surpassing the national average of 6 percent. A Reserve Bank of India report recognised Assam as the fastest-growing economy in the country over the past five years, expanding by 45 percent between FY20 and FY25.
The state government has also focused on improving the ease of doing business, implementing single-window clearance systems that have facilitated over 2.5 million approvals. Dedicated nodal officers have been appointed to streamline the investment process from groundwork to launch.
Efforts in skill development have been ongoing, with initiatives like the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) and the Chief Minister’s Foreign Language Initiative for Global Human Talent (CM-FLIGHT). These programmes aim to equip youth with industry-relevant skills and prepare them for both domestic and international employment, particularly in sectors like technology and advanced manufacturing.
Key details
Chief Minister Sarma’s address highlighted several concrete figures and initiatives:
- Assam’s nominal GSDP is estimated at ₹7.45 lakh crore in 2025-26, with a projected increase to ₹8.71 lakh crore in 2026-27.
- The industrial sector’s contribution to GSDP is estimated at 35.64 percent in 2025-26.
- Out of ₹5.18 lakh crore in investment commitments from Advantage Assam 2.0, approximately ₹3.5 lakh crore has been converted into on-ground projects.
- More than 3,700 new factories have been registered since May 2021, generating around 1.11 lakh factory jobs.
- Tata Electronics’ semiconductor facility at Jagiroad, a ₹27,000-crore investment, is expected to be commissioned in December this year. It aims to produce 48 million chips daily and create over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs.
- Assam aims for 6,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
- The Adani Group’s investment in the power sector totals approximately ₹63,000 crore, including a 3,200 MW thermal power plant and 2,700 MW in pumped-storage hydro projects. This is expected to create over 30,000 construction jobs and 3,500 operational jobs.
- The state’s single-window clearance system has processed over 2.5 million approvals, enhancing the ease of doing business.
- Assam is strengthening its education and skills ecosystem through institutions in technology, engineering, management, and vocational training, with a focus on equipping youth for Industry 4.0 technologies like AI and Machine Learning.
Reactions
“The next phase of India’s growth will depend on bringing more regions and enterprises into international and global value chains. India’s next growth journey will emerge from the East and the Northeast. Our Prime Minister is calling this the time for Purvodaya,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
“These investments are reducing the cost of distance and creating new possibilities for manufacturing, logistics, tourism, services and regional trade,” Sarma said, referring to improved connectivity and infrastructure.
“Our focus is to sustain this momentum and ensure that investments translate into deeper economic activity,” the Chief Minister stated, highlighting the government’s commitment to tangible project implementation.
“The 3,200 MW Chapar project is a proud outcome of the confidence generated by the Advantage Assam Investor Summit 2.0. With an investment of nearly ₹48,000 crore, this project will constitute one of the largest single investments ever made in Assam,” Sarma said, referring to the Adani Power project.
“Besides providing massive employment opportunities, the state will also benefit through increased economic activity and SGST revenues, while local industries and enterprises will have opportunities to participate in the emerging ecosystem,” he added.
What’s next
The Assam government aims to continue its aggressive push for investment, with a particular focus on converting existing commitments into operational projects and attracting new ventures in high-growth sectors. The commissioning of the Tata Electronics semiconductor facility in December this year will be a significant milestone, further solidifying Assam’s position in advanced manufacturing.
Efforts to enhance multimodal connectivity, including highways, railways, inland waterways, and aviation, will continue to improve the state’s logistical advantages for trade with ASEAN nations. The development of 6,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 will also see ongoing project implementation in solar, pumped-storage, and green hydrogen.
The state will further strengthen its skill development programmes, including collaborations with industries like Tata Technology to train youth in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, preparing them for ‘Industry 4.0’. The goal is to make Assam the “National Skills Capital by 2026.”
Quick FAQs
What is the ‘Purvodaya’ initiative mentioned by the Chief Minister?
The ‘Purvodaya’ initiative is a vision articulated by the Prime Minister, aiming to make eastern and northeastern India a major engine of national growth by integrating more regions and enterprises into international and global value chains.
What are the key sectors for investment highlighted by the Assam Chief Minister?
The Chief Minister highlighted advanced manufacturing, particularly semiconductors, clean energy (renewable power, green hydrogen, bioenergy), and skilled human resources as key sectors for investment and employment generation.
How much investment has already been converted into on-ground projects in Assam?
Out of ₹5.18 lakh crore in investment commitments from the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, approximately ₹3.5 lakh crore worth of projects have already been converted into on-ground investments within a year.