As India pursues its Act East Policy, digital connectivity in the Northeast Region is emerging as a strategic bridge that links local aspirations with regional integration and global opportunities.
Physical (road, rail, air, and water), people-to-people (P2P), and digital connectivity are crucial within India’s Northeast Region (NER) and with the rest of the country. Although physically and emotionally isolated for several decades, the NER has undergone a notable transformation lately under the Indian government’s numerous flagship policies and schemes. These include India’s Act East Policy (AEP), rechristened from the Look East Policy in 2014, the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) approved in 2017-2018, and the ‘Digital Northeast Vision 2022’, launched in 2018 as an integral part of the Digital India programme. These policies have brought significant developments across multiple spheres in the region.
With the geopolitical shift in the Indo-Pacific, speedy digital connectivity has become as essential in the NER as physical and peer-to-peer (P2P) connectivity to enhance India’s geostrategic engagement with Southeast Asian nations. Dr Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Government of India, stressed the significance of NER as India’s strategic and technological frontier in the era of digital transformation.
The ‘Digital Northeast Vision 2022’, released on 11 August 2018, does not specify a single financial outlay; instead, its implementation draws on a variety of government schemes and investments targeted at digital empowerment across the region. Notably, the PM-DevINE scheme allocated INR 6,600 crore for infrastructure and comprehensive development of the North East from 2022-23 to 2025-26. In addition, multiple initiatives have advanced digital infrastructure, electronics manufacturing, IT and ITeS, digital payments, and startup promotion in every North Eastern state. The Vision 2022 document outlines a roadmap for the digital empowerment of citizens, aiming to promote digital connectivity, develop digital infrastructure for inclusion and growth, and transform people’s lives through digital technologies. It also identifies eight digital thrust areas: Digital Infrastructure, Digital Services, Digital Empowerment, Promotion of Electronics Manufacturing, Promotion of IT and ITeS, including BPOs, Digital Payments, Innovation and Startups, and Cybersecurity.
The Vision 2022 document outlines a roadmap for the digital empowerment of citizens, aiming to promote digital connectivity, develop digital infrastructure for inclusion and growth, and transform people’s lives through digital technologies.
The Vision highlights ambitious goals such as providing high-speed broadband and mobile connectivity to all remote villages in the NER, creating employment opportunities, providing digital delivery services, and promoting online payments. It will further augment e-governance services, geospatial applications, and development-related activities by setting up an integral network hub through an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cloud Platform, data repository, and National Data Centre (NDC) in the NER. Since the launch of ‘Digital Northeast Vision’, there has been a significant improvement in digital acceptance in the region. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now a widely used mode of payment in the NER. Approximately 58 percent of the total 15 lakh merchants in the NER adopted digital payments. In a nutshell, the Vision document aims to bring substantial change by enhancing ease of living, promoting digital inclusion, and exploring the region’s untapped potential.
Digital connectivity seems to be a boon for the people of NER, especially the youth, students, and entrepreneurs. Students from low-income backgrounds can join online classes for various competitive exams without being physically present. Young entrepreneurs who aim to launch their own start-ups can be part of the domestic and cross-border e-commerce, including with Southeast Asian nations. Most importantly, it will foster P2P connectivity by reducing the sense of isolation felt by the people of the region in relation to the rest of the country. Digital connectivity has also enabled greater awareness of the NER’s geography and cultures across India. Tourism has also flourished, with a steady increase in tourist inflows into the NER from other parts of India and abroad.
A large number of villages in the NER are also without internet access, and many still lack mobile connectivity.
Nevertheless, several challenges need to be addressed. Poor connectivity and infrastructural gaps are key obstacles. As the region has harsh and uneven terrain and is prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides, it is challenging to establish a reliable digital network in the NER. Additionally, power supply across districts in the NER is often inadequate. People have no access to the internet when there is no electricity due to network failures. A large number of villages in the NER are also without internet access, and many still lack mobile connectivity. In 2022, Sikkim ranked highest in terms of mobile-uncovered villages in the NER, with 65.94 percent, and Assam ranked lowest, with 10.88 percent. Even with mobile connectivity, people still face slow internet speeds, further exacerbated by the mountainous terrain. Besides, there is also a dearth of technological devices, including computers, routers, modems, telephone lines, data centres, and reliable Internet Service Providers. There is also a need to reduce the skill gap for successful digital infrastructural development in the region.
Digital connectivity requires the development of several substructures in the NER. In this context, the Government of India should undertake many more people-centric initiatives in consultation with the respective state governments based on their specific requirements, in addition to existing schemes and policies. Such initiatives should prioritise financial subsidies, affordable networks, the reliability and sustainability of network connectivity, effective customer service, waivers of satellite bandwidth charges for feasible services, and collaboration between the private sector and government where required.
The Government of India should undertake many more people-centric initiatives in consultation with the respective state governments based on their specific requirements, in addition to existing schemes and policies.
Digital connectivity is pivotal to integrating the region, empowering citizens, and creating opportunities by providing a platform that catalyses India’s Act East Policy. Dr Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar positioned “the Northeast as India’s natural gateway to ASEAN’s US$5 trillion digital economy, bolstered by 98 percent international border connectivity, abundant renewable energy, and climate suitability for green data centres.” Efficient digital connectivity in the NER can foster trade and other ties with ASEAN countries. Further, it will inspire the youth of the NER to explore opportunities and fulfil their aspirations. Digital connectivity can also help replace the feeling of geographical isolation with a sense of unity between the people of the NER and the rest of India.
Anuradha Oinam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Imphal College, Imphal.
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Dr Anuradha Oinam is an Assistant Professor in Political Science Department at Imphal College, Imphal. She completed her MPhil and PhD from CIPOD, School of ...
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