Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday underscored the state’s ambitious economic vision, emphasizing private and foreign direct investment (FDI) as key drivers in achieving the ₹85,000 crore economy goal. “Investments are a crucial part of that particular formula. Apart from the different steps that we have taken as a state in terms of policies, institutional setups, incentives, and local actions, we need the support of investors from all across the board. We need the support of international agencies. We need the support of other nations, especially keeping in mind the Southeast Asian region and the BIMSTEC region,” he said.
Speaking at the 7th Act East Business Show 2025, Sangma reinforced that Meghalaya is steadily preparing itself for large-scale investments. “One cannot say that we are absolutely ready today, but the point is that a lot of work has gone in over the last six years to move in that direction. We are in a much better position today than we were many years back, and we need to keep investing in it. I would say that we are in a very strong and very good position. A lot of work still needs to be done, but I think compared to what the situation was six or seven years back, Meghalaya is in a much better position today.”
He stressed that while summits like these bring opportunities, their real impact lies in long-term partnerships. “With the inputs that we received from so many of our dignitaries, you can make out the importance of a program like this. And hence, I’m very happy even though it was quite long. I’m very happy that we had representatives from all the different countries participating, who got an opportunity to share their ideas. The people here participating could get a very strong sense of what we are trying to do. Having said that, what is most important for us as a state government and as a nation is the strong partnership that we’ve built. I always believe that these events will come and go, but what is important for us is not necessarily that everything will happen in this one event. We have to be practical when we move forward. The partnerships, the understanding, the bonding, and the friendship that we develop through programs like this should be the most important takeaway from this program.”
Highlighting the rapid economic growth, he pointed to Meghalaya’s rising GDP trajectory. “There is a very strong political will pushing this entire agenda of taking the Northeast and the country forward. This political will comes all the way from the top, from the Honourable Prime Minister to the Chief Ministers of the Northeastern states, and also at the level of our officials, our administration, and our bureaucrats. You have seen in the presentations that have been given to us regarding different policy initiatives. If some of you remember the second graph we showed regarding the GDP of the state, you could see that in the last decade, especially towards 2018, 2019, and 2020 when we had taken over, the growth rate has gone above the national average, touching 13.5 percent in the last seven to eight years. This did not happen automatically. There is a will, there is a process, there is a policy, and there are initiatives that have been taken to make that growth a possibility.”
Encouraging Meghalaya to aim higher, he added, “As a state government and as a country, we must dare to dream big. I have seen many nations in this world, much smaller than India in terms of population and economy, but they have been able to produce world leaders in manufacturing, IT, and many other sectors just because they had the desire, the goal, and the will to dream at that level. As a government, we have set ourselves very high goals, very difficult goals, even to the extent that some people ask, ‘Can you actually do it?’ We tell them that we don’t know, but we’ll never know until we try. That is why we are very keen and very positive when it comes to programs like these. We have created the foundations, the policy infrastructure, and the institutional network at the grassroots level. Now, we are hoping to take advantage of all of this and achieve growth at a different level.”
Emphasizing sustainability, Sangma clarified, “For us as a state government, and for me especially as a Chief Minister, growth is important, but growth must come with sustainability. Sustainability can only come if we work closely with aspects of the environment, our culture, our tradition, and our community. We believe that while growth is important and will be achieved, it must be done with respect for the environment, our community, our tradition, and our culture.”
Outlining Meghalaya’s Act East strategy, he pointed out the need for a region-specific approach. “When we talk of Act East for the region, we cannot have one Act East policy for every zone or every state in the Northeast. Every state is unique. We have a very long border with Bangladesh, and therefore, the zones of Myanmar may not be of critical importance to Meghalaya as much as our trade with Bangladesh. The zones we create and the strategies we formulate for Act East engagement must be specific to each state’s geographical and economic realities. Otherwise, we will continue to have programs like these but will not actually reach any conclusive outcomes.”
On forging partnerships, he remarked, “It is not always necessary that we have to start big. Partnership is about trust. Partnership is about working together in a way that creates a win-win situation for everyone. We need to identify those areas where we can start with a few success stories. As we say, nothing sells better than success. That success will create the momentum we are all looking for to unlock the potential of the Northeast and Act East Policy.”
Meghalaya’s focus areas, including the “concert economy” and sports infrastructure, were also underscored. “We have shared glimpses of how we have moved forward in key areas. Be it the music economy, as the Honourable Prime Minister says, the ‘concert economy,’ or the sports economy, entrepreneurship remains the foundation of every single sector. We have self-help groups manufacturing different products, supported by the Government of India and the state government. If our entrepreneurs and market leaders can integrate with these self-help groups, we can create a meaningful and inclusive economy. Even if we set a target where 25 to 30 percent of business transactions involve self-help groups and cooperative societies, that would be a great way forward.”
Rejecting token gestures in investment summits, Sangma was firm on action-oriented policies. “I am not a big fan of signing MOUs just for the sake of it. We have a history of signing many agreements, but what truly matters is implementation. MOUs send a positive signal, but real partnerships and trust take time. We must not fall into the trap of signing agreements simply to make an event look successful. Instead, we must move forward in a practical and realistic way to create real success stories with real outcomes.”
Commissioner and Secretary of Finance Vijay Kumar D provided an in-depth economic analysis, citing Meghalaya’s 74.4 percent literacy rate, 55 percent working-class population, and 13 percent growth rate in recent years. He outlined major infrastructure projects, including the 277-km BBIN corridor connecting Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, the 600-km border road project, and the development of Shillong Administrative City. Kumar also highlighted Meghalaya’s aspirations to establish the largest football stadium in the country, boost tourism, and expand investments in bamboo, food processing, and education, with institutions like Azim Premji University considering a Shillong campus.
Meghalaya’s growth trajectory, bolstered by policy reforms, strategic investments, and global partnerships, now stands at a crucial juncture. The challenge ahead lies in translating these aspirations into tangible results, ensuring that Meghalaya’s rise as a key economic player in the Northeast is both sustainable and inclusive.