Dr Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, has reaffirmed the strategic importance of India’s Northeastern region, calling it the nation’s digital and policy frontier. Speaking at the “IT for Ashtalakshmi – Beyond the Bits and Bytes, into AI and 5G” session during the Rising North East Investors Summit 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Dr Shekhar said, “The Northeast is where policy meets possibility, nature meets networks, and heritage meets hyper-connectivity.”

Joined by Tripura’s Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and the Chief Secretary of Manipur, Dr Shekhar detailed how the Northeast, long viewed as a remote periphery, has now been repositioned as a technological and strategic cornerstone under the Union government’s Act East policy. He credited this shift to sustained leadership, particularly that of Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

The Ashtalakshmi—eight Northeastern states—have witnessed transformative growth, with digital infrastructure bridging years of disparity. Dr Shekhar shared that over Rs 1.5 trillion has been invested in digital and physical infrastructure in the region, including Rs 500 billion under BharatNet and the Digital North East Vision. As of 2025, more than 90 per cent of the region is covered by 4G, and 80 per cent of rural homes have optical fibre connectivity.

However, he noted that the real transformation lies not only in infrastructure, but in the region’s young, digital-savvy population. Institutions like IIT Guwahati and NIT Silchar are nurturing cutting-edge talent, and startups like AgSpert are using AI and drone technology to solve both local and global agricultural problems. “The government’s frameworks—Digital India, BharatNet, Startup India, and the National AI Strategy—are catalysts for this innovation,” he said.

Dr Shekhar shared real-world applications of AI and 5G in the region, such as:

11. A 5G-based telemedicine network in Arunachal Pradesh

12. The BHASHINI initiative in Tripura offering AI-powered multilingual translation for better governance

13. Use of augmented reality (AR) to boost tourism in Kaziranga and Sikkim

14. AI platforms to preserve over 200 local languages

15. AI-enabled e-commerce for traditional crafts

16. Smart AI border surveillance systems to enhance security and employment

“These are not abstract ambitions—they are actionable, investible, and impactful opportunities,” he said, inviting industry and academic stakeholders to “come, collaborate, and co-create.”

Positioning the Northeast as India’s natural digital gateway to ASEAN’s USD 5 trillion economy, Dr Shekhar underscored the region’s 98 per cent international border connectivity, abundant green energy, and suitability for climate-resilient data centres.

He concluded with a powerful vision:

“The tea gardens of Assam that once fuelled the British Empire will now power AI algorithms. Our strategic borders will no longer just protect—they will propel India’s leadership in defence tech. The future will not only rise from our metros but from every corner where vision and courage meet action.”