Meghalaya’s economic ambitions received a significant boost as Nivruti Rai, MD and CEO of Invest India, emphasized the state’s potential in key sectors such as energy, data centers, and textiles. Speaking at the 7th Act East Business Show 2025, Rai highlighted the region’s untapped investment opportunities, stating, “Few things the Chief Minister spoke about—tourism, sports, IT—but I personally think we have to do a lot in energy. We can do that in data centers, and I have called them out. India has to 10x its capabilities of data centers and textiles, technical textiles. Storytelling is amazing for tourism.”
She revealed that Invest India has successfully facilitated data center investments in the Northeast, particularly in Tripura and Assam, and is now considering Meghalaya as the next destination. “My team, over the last July 23 till now, has brought in quite a few data center investments into the Northeast—so far in Tripura as well as in Assam—but I am thinking that next is Meghalaya. Unless we build data centers, the dependence on other countries and further areas in India will be challenging.”
Acknowledging the crucial role of government support, Rai underscored Meghalaya’s growing appeal to investors. “Every state we have got political support, and the bureaucratic support becomes so easy. Support helps me build return on investment.” She further stressed the strategic importance of the Northeast in India’s economic trajectory, stating, “The Northeast is very, very important for India because growth is possible here. When I called out that the Northeast is 8 percent of the geographical area and 3 percent of the GDP, it is to say that this is the growth that is possible here, and where there is a possibility of opportunity, the investment will come in.”
On infrastructure, Rai highlighted the massive investment potential, stating, “In infrastructure, Northeast is $25 billion—I have called that out. We want to bring in foreign investment also, so I am very excited.” She also pointed to the growing trade opportunities with ASEAN nations, adding, “ASEAN countries—I am looking at trade and partnership.”
With Meghalaya positioning itself as a key investment hub, the Act East Summit continues to serve as a crucial platform for fostering economic partnerships, ensuring the state is at the forefront of India’s growth story.