INDIAN STATE : ASSAM

General Information

Assam is a northeastern state of India. Located just below the eastern Himalayan foothills, it is surrounded by the other northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Assam and its commercial capital Guwahati form the gateway to the northeastern states, together called the seven sisters.

It has the unique Locational advantage of being situated close to South East Asian countries and hence it has the potential to emerge as a strategic base for domestic and foreign investors to tap the vast potential markets of countries like China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, etc.

Assam's proximity to SAARC countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan gives it the investment potential considering the advantage of border trade with theses countries. Border Trade Centre at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district and Mankachar in Dhubri district have been developed to facilitate border trade with Bangladesh. It has been proposed in the 11th five-year plan to set up two more Border Trade Center, one at Ledo connecting China and other at Darranga connecting Bhutan. There are several Land Custom Stations (LCS) in the state bordering Bangladesh and Bhutan to facilitate border trade.

Border points between Myanmar and North East region have been opened at Moreh (Manipur) and Champhora (Mizoram). Besides, Assam's internal waterway networks connect it to Bangladesh giving it access to the ports of Chittagong (Bangladesh), Kolkata and Haldia (West Bengal).

Industrial scenario has undergone a vast change in Assam. Apart from tea, petroleum and petrochemicals, other industries in various sectors like paper, fertilizer, cement, coke, lime, sugar, engineering, plastic, steel, printing, cosmetics, poultry & dairy products along with handloom and handicraft have thrived in the state. Moreover, with its rich flora and fauna, breathtaking natural beauty, age-old temples and monuments, Assam offers a unique potential for tourism industries for both domestic and foreign market.

Fact File