countries to be partners, strategic MoUs to be signed with Japan and Singapore
Guwahati, Feb 15: At least 7 partner countries have confirmed their participation in the Advantage Assam 2.0 to be held in Guwahati on February 25 and 26 fostering international collaboration and investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will participate in the valedictory session.
Seven partner nations—Bhutan, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia—have confirmed their participation in the summit, and six more, including the Philippines, Finland, Iceland, Austria, and the Republic of Korea, have also confirmed their attendance. Additionally, responses from 14 other countries are awaited.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the summit, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the event’s role in fostering international partnerships and economic growth. The Assam government is set to sign two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Japan and Singapore, focusing on manpower recruitment and healthcare. Japan plans to hire 50,000 workers from Assam, while Singapore has expressed interest in recruiting nurses from the state.
Bhutan has proposed the development of Gelephu My Fullness City, with Sarma urging the Bhutanese government to establish a special industrial economic zone in Assam.
Reflecting on the success of the first edition of the Advantage Assam summit held in 2018, Sarma highlighted three key infrastructure achievements – Paradeep to Numaligarh crude pipeline- expansion of the National Gas Grid project to Assam and expansion of Numaligarh Refinery from 3 MMT to 9 MMT.
The upcoming summit will focus on eight strategic sectors, including tourism, renewable energy, electronics & semiconductors, aerospace & defence, mobility & logistics, and bamboo-based industries. With over 7,000 registrations so far, the event is expected to attract top global investors and industry leaders.
A high-profile lineup of Union Ministers—including Jyotiraditya Scindia, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Piyush Goyal—will be part of the deliberations.
The summit will host 20 thematic sessions featuring industry leaders, government officials, and subject-matter experts discussing key investment opportunities. International business councils, including the US-India Business Council, India–New Zealand Business Council, UAE-India Business Council, and Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, will participate, alongside multilateral agencies such as The World Bank, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, and the New Development Bank.
Top executives, including CEOs and CXOs from infrastructure, energy, IT, manufacturing, and logistics, will engage in discussions on investment and technology partnerships. To bolster entrepreneurship and attract high-tech investments, the Assam government has launched the Assam Startup & Innovation Policy 2025 and the Aerospace & Defence Manufacturing Policy 2025 ahead of the summit.
In a special event on February 24 at Sarusajai, Assam will commemorate 200 years of its iconic tea industry and industrialization in the presence of PM Modi.
With a dynamic agenda and strategic collaborations, Advantage Assam 2.0 is poised to position Assam as a key investment hub in South Asia, driving industrial growth, global partnerships, and employment opportunities.
