Once plagued by insurgency and neglect, the Northeast has seen remarkable transformation through inclusive policies, enhanced connectivity, cultural integration and sustained development efforts
The Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura are known for their rich legacy of biodiversity and cultural diversity. UNESCO recognises this vibrancy of the Northeast as one of the most biodiverse regions of the world, home to more than 160 ethnic tribes with diverse linguistics and dialects, and known for its rich music and literature. For decades, the Northeastern states were characterised by secessionist activities, ethnic clashes, violence, and external elements fuelling these factions — destabilising the region. The recent fatal losses faced by the designated terrorists of the United Liberation Front of Asom and Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland–Khaplang at their shared camp and nearby camps of the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF) in the Sagaing Region of Myanmar — geographically adjacent to the states of Manipur and Nagaland — stand testimony to it.
The Indian Armed Forces and state police forces have denied any involvement in these attacks. These organisations are banned and are designated as terrorist organisations under the UAPA. The historical synthesis of the security dynamics of the Northeast region reflects the fact that for decades this region was neglected by the mainstream, severely hampering its growth and development, and creating a sense of anguish amidst the masses. Post-independence, the Central Government’s approach under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru was heavily influenced by anthropologist Verrier Elwin, which developed a sense of exclusion amongst ethnic tribal groups of the region — excluding them from growth and political inclusion. This sense of neglect was further fuelled and nourished by external elements. Open borders with Nepal and porous borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh created various flashpoints in the Northeastern states. Governments later tried to deal with this through stringent means like AFSPA.
With the addition of the new state of Sikkim in the 1960s, the same approach continued till the 1990s, when the Government at the Centre started using dialogue and development as a policy approach. This led to the establishment of a separate ministry for the Northeast region. However, the reactive policy perspective — characterised by lack of coordination and administrative inadequacies and constrained by severe budgetary limitations — impacted synergy between Centre and state, paving the way for instability, making it one of the major national security threats for India over decades. This has changed in the last decade with the adoption of a proactive policy approach by the Government, prioritising the comprehensive development of the eight Northeastern states. While envisioning development, the Government brought systemic coherence that navigated the smooth execution of development policies. This prioritisation of development through dialogue, respecting local aspirations and cultural ethos, gave a dignified approach towards ethnic communities, sensing the local pulse and establishing a conducive, stable, and secure atmosphere. Though this path to peace through development faced friction at the initial stages, consistent persuasion and integration of these states with development plans — aptly supported by growth-oriented budgetary allocations — achieved success.
The development plan envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ably executed on the ground by Home Minister Amit Shah transformed the development landscape of the region using a three-pronged policy approach:
Aptly summed as Act East, Act Fast, and Act First by Home Minister Shah. The change in perspective towards the Northeast was not a mere change of words but a dedicated effort with great intent, facilitating comprehensive growth through financial, social, and political inclusion; greater infrastructure development; a boost in agriculture; a conducive atmosphere for education; increasing employment avenues for youth of the region; and encouraging entrepreneurship. Earlier, transportation costs used to be 12 to 15 per cent, making it impossible to export products from the Northeast to outside the country. Today, however, whatever is produced in the Northeast can access the global market through the Chittagong port.
This intention is reflected through excellent connectivity — air, road, rail, and high-speed internet — which has truly transmogrified the development landscape of the Northeast. In the last ten years, Prime Minister Modi visited the Northeast 65 times and Central Ministers have had 700 night stays — underscoring the Government’s dedicated commitment and the centrality of the Northeast in its development policies.
These initiatives and dedicated policies, mindful of local aspirations and sensitivities, have built strong bonds between emotion, economy, and ecology — representing the rich heritage of the Northeast. When policy is backed by appropriate budgetary allotment, it accentuates growth.
Since 2015, Rs 21,000 crores have been invested in the education sector. The North Eastern Region recorded expenditure of more than Rs 1,00,000 crores till 2024 by 54 Central Ministries. The Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) recorded a dedicated budget of Rs 5,915 crores for the financial year 2025–26. Through the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation, various schemes provided financial assistance to micro, small, medium, and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure, and agri-related projects in the region. Multiple high-level task forces for sectoral growth have truly redefined the growth saga of the Northeast — such as the North-East Economic Corridor; investment promotion; infrastructure and connectivity; promotion of tourism, handlooms, and handicrafts; attaining self-reliance in dairy, agriculture, poultry, and meat production; and the promotion of sports — facilitating transformative growth.
Infrastructure development witnessed a massive transformation of railways, led by a Rs 10,440 crore budget allotted for the year 2025–26 for developing the Northeastern rail network. The commissioning rate, which was 66 km/year in 2014, is now 180 km/year. Nineteen railway projects worth Rs 81,941 crores were completed, adding 2,000 km of railway tracks in the region. In terms of road connectivity, 46,296 km of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana worth Rs 47,279 crores were completed since 2015. The number of airports also rose, with 17 airports operating year-round and 72 routes operationalised under the UDAN scheme. The number of waterways increased to 20. The education sector also saw encouraging transformation with the addition of 843 new schools in the NER since 2015, with an expenditure worth Rs 21,151 crores to groom the future of the Northeast.
Evaluating development growth on the parameters of sustainable development goals by the NITI Aayog on the lines of UN SDGs, out of 131 districts, 103 districts (85 per cent) are classified as front-runners. In terms of foreign policy, the Northeastern states are at the core of India’s Act East policy directives and at the centre of India’s Indo-Pacific vision and strategic calculations.
The region’s resourcefulness and its geographical proximity to neighbouring Southeast Asia make it an attractive link to industry and development linkages. The Northeastern states have emerged as a pivot for India’s connectivity network and economic engagement strategy in the BIMSTEC region and are key to augmenting intermodal and multimodal connectivity of the Northeastern region with BIMSTEC countries in the near future. By introducing timely development, respecting aspirations and sensitivities of local ethnicities, and providing growth-oriented opportunities for a better future, the Government has established a strong network of fundamental, citizen-centric services.
Quality infrastructure, schools, hospitals, roads, colleges, IIMs, and IITs have created avenues of employment and revived trust in the Government. The policy centrality of the Northeast reflects the fact that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, conducts comprehensive appraisals of the Northeastern states. A timely review mechanism not only underscores the policy intent of the Government but has emerged as a prominent tool for development and stability in the region, reviving its strength, diversity, and cultural uniqueness. Inclusive development, timely review, and actual integration of Northeastern states — physically, culturally, and emotionally — have started yielding results. After witnessing transformation, more than 10,500 insurgents left violence and embraced growth by surrendering.
This reduced fatal casualties of security forces by 85 per cent and civilian casualties by 86 per cent. Despite strong support from external elements to these insurgent groups, since 2019, the Government of India has stabilised the Northeastern demography through 12 peace accords. The AFSPA classification as “disturbed areas” has been completely withdrawn from the states of Tripura, Meghalaya, and Assam and partially from the remaining four states of the region. This qualitative synergy furthered interstate border agreements between Assam and Meghalaya, and Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
For an assured future, India continues to remain proactively vigilant in the Northeast — transforming the region into a vibrant, empowered, and prosperous part of the country that has recorded the most peaceful decade since independence.
It highlights the success of the Government’s policy approach, based on the pillars of peace, stability, and development — truly making them the Sunrise States of India comprehensively.
(The author is a distinguished scholar of security studies and a former diplomat to Australia)