Guwahati, Assam – Advantage Assam 2.0, the Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025, concluded on February 26th, marking a significant milestone for the state's economic growth. The two-day summit successfully garnered a record-breaking ₹4.91 lakh crore in investment and infrastructure proposals across diverse sectors. This was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who expressed his gratitude to industrialists for their faith in Assam. Leading industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani participated in the summit, each pledging investments of ₹50,000 crore.
The summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed to position Assam as a premier investment hub. The second edition of Advantage Assam witnessed a nearly five-fold increase in investment commitments compared to the inaugural edition in 2018. In 2018, the summit saw approximately ₹1 lakh crore in Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), but actual investments materialized to only ₹51,958.20 crore. Learning from the past, the Assam government implemented stricter scrutiny for Advantage Assam 2.0, approving only actionable investments projected within the next three to four years. Prior to the summit, MoUs worth ₹45,000 crore were rejected after rigorous screening.
Key agreements at Advantage Assam 2.0 included a ₹3,000 crore MoU with Virinchi Limited for a 200 MW data centre. Virinchi Healthcare Private Limited also signed a ₹200 crore pact to establish a 500-bed super-specialty hospital. In green energy, Matheson Hydrogen Pvt Ltd committed ₹1,500 crore for a 95 KTPA hydrogen and steam generation plant. Cement manufacturing received a boost with Star Cements Ltd signing a ₹3,200 crore agreement for a cement clinker and grinding plant. UltraTech Cement pledged ₹700 crore for a grinding unit and cement-bulk terminal. Copper Plus Holdings SAC committed ₹1,000 crore towards mining exploration and services.
The tourism sector also saw significant interest, with Tamara Leisure Experiences Private Limited investing ₹275 crore in a five-star eco-resort in Kaziranga. Varun Beverages Limited committed ₹510 crore for a new manufacturing plant for beverages. On the first day alone, 164 MoUs were signed across 15 sectors. Major domestic investors included Adani Group, Tata Power, JSW Energy, Oil India Limited (OIL), ONGC, and NRL. Four international non-financial MoUs were also signed, including a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for health and agriculture initiatives. An MoU with Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry aims to enhance nursing talent skills. ASEAN One Co Ltd (Japan) agreed to establish a skill training institute, and Spice Lemon announced a Japanese language institute.
Chief Secretary Ravi Kota stated that the total investment includes ₹1.25 lakh crore from top industry leaders and ₹78,000 crore in government infrastructure investments. District-level agreements added another 1,921 pacts worth ₹5,851 crore. The summit attracted global participation with 67 heads of missions, 76 countries, 12 bilateral agencies, and nine partner nations. Over 14,500 attendees, including 200 international delegates and 2,100 business leaders, participated in the event, featuring 121 speakers.
Chief Minister Sarma highlighted Assam's economic transformation, noting its impressive 19% growth rate in 2023 and a 66% drop in crime rate. He projected Assam's economy to reach $143 billion by 2030. The government emphasized its focus on policy execution, infrastructure enhancement, and continuous investor engagement to ensure the proposed investments materialize into tangible economic growth. Advantage Assam 2.0 is seen as a "defining moment" for Assam, shifting it from a historically dependent economy to an emerging contributor to the national stage.
Comments
Post a Comment