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India’s Northeast is located at a strategic junction, harbouring significant potential to enhance the nation’s communication and engagement with its eastern neighbours. However, the region grapples with several challenges, including infrastructural gaps and limited cross-border trade. The ‘U.S. Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific: North-Eastern Dialogue,’ organized by the Observer Research Foundation in collaboration with the United States Consulate General in Kolkata, seeks to promote discussions on connectivity and economic development in the Northeast within the wider Indo-Pacific region. The aim is to raise awareness and deepen understanding of the challenges and opportunities for potential India-US cooperation. The initiative brings together stakeholders from various sectors, including government, businesses, NGOs, media houses, and civil society, with a representation of the youth of the Northeast. It features six policy dialogues across the Northeastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur, along with two national-level dialogues in Kolkata and New Delhi, engaging 200 stakeholders from the Northeast. The first regional dialogue of the U.S. Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific, North-Eastern conversation, took place in Shillong, Meghalaya, on 26 November 2024, followed by the second in Guwahati, Assam, on 13 December 2024, and the third in Gangtok, Sikkim, on 07 May 2025.
The fourth regional dialogue of the USSF Northeastern Dialogue project was held as a two-day virtual event on 10 and 11 July 2025. The inaugural session began with a Welcome Address by the Project Director, Nilanjan Ghosh, Vice President, Development Studies, Observer Research Foundation, Director, ORF Kolkata. Special Addresses were delivered by Yumnam Robita, Director of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Government of Manipur, and Elizabeth Lee, Public Affairs Officer and Director, American Center. The Keynote Address was delivered by Satu Limaye, Vice President and Director of the East-West Center, United States of America. Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury, the Project In-Charge and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, introduced the objective and design of the event. The Inaugural Session highlighted Manipur’s strategic location within a free and open Indo-Pacific. It emphasised that enhanced connectivity across the Northeast is crucial to unlock its economic potential, but security concerns often hinder infrastructure progress.
The Manipur Chapter witnessed the participation of 37 delegates. The event was structured around six panel discussions. The first three panel discussions were scheduled on Day 1, followed by the remaining three panel discussions on Day 2. Additionally, the delegates completed two survey questionnaires: A pre-conference survey to capture their initial opinions and a post-conference survey to evaluate if and how their views had evolved after engaging in the discussions.
The first panel discussion on “Northeast Nexus: Weaving Manipur into the Trade Network,” was moderated by Nilanjan Ghosh. The panelists were Kshetrimayum Narayan Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of South East Asia, Manipur University, Manipur; Nisha Taneja, Professor, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi; Jayant Singh, Chairman, Land Port Authority of India, New Delhi; Yumnam Rupachandra, Editor-in-Chief at Impact News, Imphal, Manipur and Felicita Gonmei, Research Scholar, Department of South East Asia, Manipur University, Manipur. The session emphasized several critical challenges in Manipur’s trade and economic development, including inadequate development of border trade infrastructure, governance deficits, and lack of inclusive planning, complex supply chains and storage facilities in terms of agro-based industries, and absence of export data recordings.
The second-panel discussion, titled “The Infrastructure Frontier: Northeast India’s Connectivity Needs,” was moderated by Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury and brought together panellists like Biswadeep Gupta, Founder, Knowledge Resource Centre Foundation, Assam; Loitongbam Bishwanjit Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of South East Asia, Manipur University, Manipur; Anindya Sarkar, Professor, Department of Political Science, Tripura University, Tripura; Nivaran Nongmaithem, Proprietor, Khuibo Tours and Travel, Manipur and Pukhrambam Kiran Singh, Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, Dhanamanjuri University, Manipur. The discussions brought forth the potential solutions for enhancing connectivity and infrastructure across the India-Myanmar border, particularly in Manipur. The panellists stressed the importance of community engagement and local perspectives in infrastructure projects, cultural awareness, and sustainable tourism growth, highlighting the need for capacity building and technological innovation.
The panellists in the third-panel discussion on “Digital Horizons: Soft Connectivity in Northeast India,” included Anuradha Oinam, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Imphal College and Former Research Assistant, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi; Syed Kazi, Director, Council for Social & Digital Development (CSDD), Assam; Indraneel Mandal, Assistant Professor, Institute of Technology and Science, Uttar Pradesh and Nasiruddin Molla, Associate Professor, Sikkim Professional University, Sikkim. The session was moderated by Basu Chandola, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation. The panel discussion focused on digital connectivity challenges in India's Northeast, highlighting issues such as unreliable infrastructure, affordability, and frequent internet shutdowns. The importance of reliable and resilient connectivity to support education, entrepreneurship, and overall development in the region was emphasized.
The fourth panel discussion, titled “Unfurling Manipur’s Growth Story: Hindrances and Hope,” moderated by Swati Prabhu, Associate Fellow with the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy, Observer Research Foundation, featured; Meena Longjam, Independent Filmmaker and Assistant Professor, Department of Culture Studies, Manipur University of Culture, Manipur; Marchang Reimeingam, Associate Professor, Centre for Study of Social Change and Development, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Karnataka and Robita Sorokhaibam, Professor, Department of Commerce, Manipur University, Manipur, as panellists. The session analysed the challenges facing Manipur's economy, particularly the inconsistency between educational advancements and job opportunities for youth. Recommendations included addressing scheme implementation issues and promoting skill development programs for women and youth.
The fifth panel discussion was on “The Small-scale Industries in India’s Northeast: From Local to Global,” moderated by Sunaina Kumar, Senior Fellow at ORF and Executive Director at Think20 India Secretariat, ORF New Delhi. The panelists were Catherine Soyamphi, Entrepreneur, Soyummy Agro Pvt. Ltd, Manipur, Ringyuichon Vashum, Director, Ukhrul District Women Institute of Micro-Credit, Manipur, and Nindiya Pradhan, Entrepreneur, Hotel Industry, Sikkim. The discussion dwelt on the importance of small-scale industries in supporting the economy of India’s Northeast. The challenges faced by women in Manipur, including poor decision-making in economic sustainability, lack of connectivity, and inadequate public transport, in the context of entrepreneurship, were highlighted. Measures, including showcasing local success stories, integrating project-based learning in education, and providing financial and digital literacy training, were proposed to enhance the sector.
The panellists in the sixth-panel discussion on “Northeast India on the World Stage: High Ground for India-US Ties,” included Joshua Thomas, former Deputy Director, ICSSR North Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong and former Coordinator, ASEAN Studies Centre, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Meghalaya; Noni Arambam, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, D. M. College of Arts, Manipur; Pema Wangchuk Dorjee, Journalist, Sikkim; Sabyasachi Dutta, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Asian Confluence, Meghalaya and Mrinal Kanti Banik, Senior Reporter, Tripura Times, Tripura. The session was moderated by Sohini Bose, Project Coordinator and Associate Fellow, Strategic Studies Programme, ORF Kolkata. The discussion analysed the strategic significance of Northeast India within the broader Indo-Pacific, emphasizing its potential role as a critical gateway for advancing India’s foreign policy objectives.
The last segment of each panel was the Presentation of Scholars’ Audit Report, where a group of research scholars observed the day-long proceedings and identified key recommendations they found significant for the region’s future. The suggestions included emphasis on the capacity building project, technical awareness on the import and export mechanism to maximize trade potential. Expansion of reliable, affordable, and viable digital connectivity was also mentioned. The event ended with a summarisation of the key points of the two-day discussions, highlighting the Northeast’s potential for economic integration, cultural interaction, and regional stability within the context of the Indo-Pacific.
This event report has been written by Sohini Bose and Tiyasha Purohit
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