Northeast needs strong infra for tourism, mining growth: Vaibhav Dange

Vaibhav Dange of Build India Foundation stressed the need for strong infrastructure to tap into the Northeast's tourism and mining potential at a Shillong summit. He noted a collective approach is required for the region's overall development.

While all North Eastern states have plenty of opportunities in tourism and mineral mining sector, the region requires a very strong infrastructure, said Vaibhav Dange, CEO, Build India Foundation.

While speaking to ANI at the North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition 2026, in Shillong, Meghalaya, Dange said, "All eight states in the Northeast have an abundance of opportunities in terms of tourism and mineral mining," adding that a "collective approach is required for the region's growth and development."

According to Dange, a strong infrastructure remains the very basic foundation for unlocking the region's economic potential. "A very strong infrastructure is a basic requirement for the North East," he noted.

Overwhelming Response to Summit

Highlighting the strong response to the summit, Dange said over 1,200 delegates had registered for the event. "The response has been overwhelming, and this is because of the phenomenal support given by the host state government of Meghalaya," he said.

He further added that registrations had to be closed ahead of schedule due to capacity constraints. "We stopped registration two days back because we are absolutely out of capacity," he said.

The North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition 2026 unites policymakers, industry leaders and investors to explore infrastructure and industrial opportunities across Northeast India.

Boost for Energy Sector

Earlier in a separate development, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas signed an MoU with Assam and Nagaland to boost the country's domestic oil and gas exploration.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri shared the development via his social media account, stating the region is ready to boost India's next chapter of energy journey. "The North East gave birth to India's petroleum industry; today, it stands ready to power the next chapter of India's energy journey as Nagaland will produce oil and gas again after 31 years," he added. (ANI)

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