‘Assam has made its mark at WEF Davos’: CM Sarma on Day 3
The Chief Minister says remaining Davos engagements will push food processing, agri exports & new-age industries
CM Sarma during a meeting with Ikarus Janzen, COO of Varaha Group, on Wednesday. (Photo:@CMOfficeAssam/X)
Guwahati, Jan 21: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is attending the five-day World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has said the state has successfully made its presence felt on the global platform.
Speaking to the press on the third day of the summit on Wednesday, Sarma said he held a series of important discussions with business leaders, investors and thought leaders, while projecting Assam as an emerging and attractive investment destination across multiple sectors.
“First of all, we got a very good platform to speak about Assam. Earlier, people only knew four or five states in India. Today, when a state like Assam comes to Davos, we are talking about the whole of India. The very presence of Assam shows how the nation is now speaking about all its states. India is in a position where investment can be absorbed by any state,” the Chief Minister said.
Outlining Assam’s investment pitch at the summit, Sarma said the state and the Northeast offer several unique advantages.
“We are strong in tea and also have reasonable potential in hydrocarbons. But now we are talking about fertilisers, chemicals, semiconductors, electronics, green energy and new energy sectors. I believe we have made a mark at this summit,” he added.
Highlighting opportunities for Assam’s tea industry, the Chief Minister said India’s domestic market remains strong, while free trade agreements will help open new global markets.
“The free trade agreement with the UK and the European Union will open up new markets for Assam tea. It is no longer just a raw product. We have launched many new products with cosmetic and medicinal value, creating fresh opportunities,” he said.
He said the operationalisation of free trade agreements would be a major breakthrough for Indian tea, particularly Assam tea, by significantly expanding its export market.
The Chief Minister said his engagements at Davos included meetings with a wide range of global and domestic investors, during which several memorandums of understanding were signed.
“We have met many investors and also inked certain MoUs. Overall, the visit has been very useful and we are satisfied with the outcome,” he said.
Drawing a comparison between national and state growth, Sarma said India’s cumulative growth over the past five years stands at around 29%, while Assam recorded a growth of about 45% during the same period.
“Assam is not just about one state but represents all eight states of the Northeast. We are witnessing growth across agriculture, manufacturing, mining and the private sector. We are growing in all sectors,” he said.
Looking ahead to the remaining days of the summit, Sarma said Assam’s focus would be on attracting investments in food processing, agricultural exports and new-age industries such as semiconductors, mobile manufacturing and electronics.
“That is where we are now concentrating our efforts,” he added.