GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, February 15, pointed to travel advisories issued by foreign governments acting as a barrier to attracting overseas investment.
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Speaking ahead of the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit, Sarma pointed out that despite major improvements in law and order, many countries continue to classify Assam and the Northeast as high-risk areas.
“If a tourist cannot stay in Assam for a week, how can an investor commit to long-term projects here?” the chief minister stated.
Sarma further revealed that with the support of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Assam is currently working to persuade foreign governments to update their travel guidelines. Japan and Australia have already begun reassessing the situation, with a Japanese delegation currently evaluating security conditions in the state.
An Australian team is also expected to visit soon to engage with officials, journalists, and other stakeholders.
Notably, the upcoming summit has summoned nations including Japan, Australia, Bhutan, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia for collaborative investment. Confirmed delegations from the Philippines, Finland, Iceland, Austria, and South Korea will also participate, while responses from 14 more countries are awaited.
