North-east is obvious gateway to India: President Kovind

The north-east's geographical location makes it the obvious gateway to India, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Tuesday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the North-east Development Summit here.

"The north-east's geographical location makes it the obvious gateway to India, linking the vast economies of the Indian subcontinent and of today's ASEAN countries. This is the potential we have to tap. And this is the idea that must inspire this summit," President Kovind said.

He further added that central to the Government of India's approach to the development of the Northeast was an urgent and speedy enhancement of connectivity.

"This is a multi-modal programme, across land, water and air. And, it refers both to connectivity within India as well as to connectivity between India and its eastern and south-eastern Asian neighbours," the President said.

The president emphasised that in the development of the north-east were both - the development of India as well the true measure of the India-ASEAN partnership.

The two-day summit is an effort to highlight and explore the potential of north-east India in further establishing itself as a land hub of India's Act East Policy.

Speaking to ANI about the summit, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Ram Madhav said, "The north-east has a very big role in India's Act East policy. We can make our Act East policy by developing the north-east. In this connection, the first north-east development summit has been organised in Manipur and it would be organised in other states in the coming days."

He said the development of the north-east would help not only the area's people, but also would make Centre's Act East policy successful.

"One more aspect is that as soon as the north-east is mentioned, insurgency, separatism, terrorism, and internal problem come to people's mind. But, development should be the main story of northeast," Madhav said.

He added that this type of summit was being organised in the north-east for the first time after the Independence.