Advantage Assam 2.0: EAM Jaishankar joins lineup of Union Ministers leading key sessions

Guwahati, Feb. 4: The highly anticipated Advantage Assam 2.0 summit is set to witness a strong line-up of Union Ministers leading engaging sessions during its two-day itinerary on February 25-26.

The latest addition to the list is External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, whose presence is expected to lead discussions on Assam’s strategic role in India’s Act East Policy.

Announcing the news on social media after meeting the minister in New Delhi on Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, “At #AdvantageAssam2, we will have the privilege of Hon’ble Minister elucidating the critical role of Assam in India’s Act East Policy.”

With Jaishankar’s confirmation, the number of Union Ministers participating in Advantage Assam 2.0 has now risen to seven.

Other confirmed attendees include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, and DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

According to CM Sarma, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will share his vision for establishing Assam as a global semiconductor hub during the summit.

"...I thanked him for his rock solid support in building the semiconductor ecosystem in the State..." he wrote on social media, post the meeting with Minister Vaishnaw. 

During his three-day visit to Delhi for poll campaigning, Sarma also met Nitin Gadkari and discussed Assam’s ongoing highway projects. He later confirmed it on social media and wrote, “At #AdvantageAssam2, Hon’ble Minister will highlight Assam’s pivotal role as a bridge connecting ASEAN.”

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is expected to provide key insights on boosting exports as a driver of growth, further aligning Assam with India's global trade ambitions.

Earlier on February 3, Sarma also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on social media, Sarma thanked the Prime Minister for his invaluable guidance on the upcoming summit as well.

“...I received valuable guidance from Hon’ble Prime Minister on the upcoming #AdvantageAssam2 Summit and the Mega Jhumoor performance,” Sarma wrote, expressing excitement about Modi's planned visit to Assam on February 24.

Despite the high-profile participation, Sarma had previously expressed modest expectations for this year’s summit, citing 2026 as an election year.

However, the impressive line-up of Union Ministers and international interest suggests that Advantage Assam 2.0 could still prove to be a significant milestone in establishing the state as a global investment hub.