Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, addressed the Indo-French North-East Investment Forum in Guwahati today, marking the final leg of his four-day tour to the Northeast.

The Minister described the Forum as “a bridge between vision and venture”  celebrating the enduring partnership between India and France, which he said is “bound not just by treaties, but by trust.”

He said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India–France relations have evolved into one of the world’s most comprehensive strategic partnerships combining “strategy with soul, and innovation with inclusion.” From defence and space cooperation to clean energy, digital transformation, and sustainable cities, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to global progress.

Scindia highlighted major milestones under the Prime Minister’s leadership,  the International Solar Alliance (2015) launched by PM Modi and President François Hollande; collaborations in smart cities and urban infrastructure; the Rafale partnership aligned with AatmaNirbhar Bharat; and the launch of UPI at Paris’s Eiffel Tower (2024), which brought India’s fintech revolution to Europe.

“Today, we extend that light to India’s Northeast , a region fast emerging as the new frontier of Indo-French collaboration,” he said.

Outlining the transformation of the Northeast over the past decade, Scindia emphasised that the region  once seen as landlocked  is now “land-linked and future-ready.” With over ₹6.2 lakh crore invested under the Government of India’s 10% GBS allocation, the region has witnessed the construction of 6,500 km of new roads, 900 km of railways, and the operationalisation of 17 airports, alongside 96% village connectivity under BharatNet.

He added that the Rising North East Investors Summit had showcased investment commitments worth ₹4.48 lakh crore, reflecting strong investor confidence. Assam, he noted, is now home to one of India’s most promising semiconductor ecosystems, with upcoming mega projects like the ₹22,864 crore Shillong–Silchar Greenfield Expressway, connecting Assam and Meghalaya to Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur opening trade corridors to the Bay of Bengal and ASEAN.

Highlighting existing French participation, Scindia cited Total Energies, Airbus, Dassault Systèmes, Decathlon, and POMA as examples of French leadership already shaping the region’s transformation in green power, aviation, design innovation, retail, and sustainable mobility.

He identified key investment opportunities in Assam and the wider Northeast across agri-business, renewable energy, tourism, smart urban infrastructure, handicrafts, IT innovation, aerospace, and education, inviting French industries to explore joint ventures under India’s investor-friendly ecosystem supported by UNNATI, PLI, and single-window facilitation.

Scindia described Assam as “the gateway of the Northeast’s resurgence” and “the nucleus of India’s Act East and Indo-Pacific vision.”

“The Northeast, with Assam at its heart, is India’s best-kept secret — serene in its beauty, strong in its spirit, and soaring in its potential,” he said, envisioning an Indo-French corridor that connects “technology with tradition, and innovation with inclusion.”

He concluded “As India rises with confidence under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, and Assam leads the Northeast’s growth story, let us together turn this forum into a living bridge of opportunity  from the Brahmaputra to the Seine, from Paris to Pasighat.”

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