MDoNER Highlights Key Development Milestones Across NER in 2025
To strengthen logistics and connectivity, an Inter-Ministerial Committee was constituted following the 71st North East Council plenary to improve logistics efficiency and integrate the NER with the national logistics grid. State Logistics Policies have been notified in Sikkim, with similar processes underway in Nagaland and Meghalaya, while State Logistics Master Plans are being prepared in Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Nagaland.
In a significant boost to research and innovation, MDoNER sanctioned the North East Science and Technology Cluster (NEST) at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati at a cost of Rs 220 million. Inaugurated in November 2025, the cluster will promote innovation in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, bamboo-based technologies and eco-friendly materials.
The ministry also advanced cluster-based growth in agarwood and bamboo. The NER accounts for around 96 per cent of India’s agarwood production, with export quotas raised sixfold. Projects for agarwood clusters in Assam and Tripura are under consideration, alongside initiatives to integrate over 4,000 bamboo artisans into formal markets and upgrade common facility centres.
MDoNER identified 150 products from the NER for Geographical Indication tagging to preserve regional identity across agri-horti, handloom and handicraft sectors. Investment momentum was further strengthened through the Rising North East Investors Summit held in May 2025, which attracted investment interest of around Rs 4.48 trillion from private players and PSUs.
On the social front, the Ashtalakshmi Darshan Youth Exchange Programme was launched to deepen cultural integration, enabling students from across India to undertake immersive visits to institutions in the NER. Additionally, under bamboo value chain development programmes, projects worth Rs 2.36 billion have been sanctioned to support enterprise creation, skill development and market access.
Together, these initiatives underscore the government’s focus on positioning the North Eastern Region as a key growth engine aligned with the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.