India's Northeast is strategically poised to extend India's outreach into the wider Indo-Pacific but faces challenges in connectivity infrastructure, low levels of transnational trade, as well as vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Awareness building and communication are thus needed among the involved stakeholders, to deliberate on these issues and derive ways in which these can be addressed. India and the US, as long-standing partners, can effectively collaborate to usher in a better understanding of how the potential of the Northeast can be tapped through sustainable regional development, for a more connected, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The project 'Harnessing the Potential of India's Northeast: Fostering US-India Collaboration in Trade, Connectivity and Climate Change, Organised by the Observer Research Foundation, India will bring together diverse stakeholders from across India's Northeast to explore US-India partnership opportunities in trade, connectivity, and climate change in the region.
Objective: Multi-stakeholder engagement in the Northeast is key to developing a grounded and comprehensive knowledge about realities of connectivity, transnational trade and impacts of climate change, in this region. The project thus envisages the inclusive participation of 200 stakeholders (with 50 percent participation of women) from across the region, representing but not limited to the government offices, policy practitioners, private sectors, civil society organisations, academics, think tanks, NGOs, community organisations and university scholars in the regional policy dialogues and national level dialogues.
Objective: The project will assess the existing transportation links in the Northeast, identifying gaps and charting ways in which these can be improved through the US-India partnership. The focus concerning physical connectivity will be on riverine and maritime connectivity infrastructure as the former is best suited to the Northeast’s topography and the latter has the best potential to connect it with the wider Indo-Pacific via the Bay of Bengal. It will also highlight the importance of digital connectivity, given its vitality in the post-pandemic world.
Objective: The project activities will involve deliberations on vulnerable areas and infrastructure assets susceptible to climate-related hazards and the impact of climate change in the Northeast. It will focus on the problem of plastic pollution as it significantly harms the riverine and marine ecosystems, which are critical for the Northeast’s development and well-being. Emphasis will be on fostering community engagement, crucial to ensuring the successful implementation of sustainable and climate resilient infrastructure projects.
