Kohima : The inaugural session of the fourth and last G20 Business Meet in North East, focusing on Opportunities for Multilateral Business Partnership in Agriculture, Food Processing, Tourism, and Information Technology witnessed the participation of sixty delegates from twenty-seven countries, Central and State Government officials, business communities, local entrepreneurs and stakeholders, held at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima on 5th April.
 
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the State Government, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Trade (DPIIT) are partners in this B20 Conference at Kohima.

Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said that the hosting of the B-20 event in Kohima is an outcome of the Prime Minister’s vision that through India’s G20 Presidency, India in all its glory should be showcased to the world, and he highlighted that initiatives like Prime Minister Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) showcase the importance being attached to the  development of North East Region by the Government as ‘New Engine Growth of India.’

Dr. Singh expressed confidence that North East will become India’s gateway to South East Asia and it will have seamless land connectivity with the heart of ASEAN and beyond once the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is completed. He also stated that the Government is continuously working for seamless land and rail connectivity with Bangladesh.

Pitching North East India to the business community to invest in, Dr. Singh stated that NE can be seen as a potentially dynamic region of the world, surrounded by ASEAN, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, with the youth from NE playing a critical role in hospitality and caregiving sectors across India. With its rich human resource base, he said that NE can grow its business in NE and beyond, offering immense and relatively unexplored market opportunities. 

 Welcoming all the delegates and the participants, Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio pointed out the great investment opportunities in the agriculture and allied sectors of the State and urged everyone to consider exploring the immense possibilities in this sector.

He also briefed on the huge potential for the tourism industry, especially for those desiring a unique ‘out of the box’ experience. Rio said that, with a persistent zeal for learning new skills, coupled with the wide usage of the English language, the State’s relatively young workforce, and a higher literacy rate than the national average, the State has an advantage, especially in the services sector, and appealed to all to consider investing in this sector.

Principal Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Trade (DPIIT), GoI, Rupa Dutta mentioned that B20 Conferences in the North East Region of India have been held in Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and now, in Nagaland. She stated that DPIIT which looks at the promotion of industries and internal trade has two engagement groups – the B20 and Start-Up 20.

Pointing out that the GI initiative, which is also part of DPIIT, has given tags to three farm products – the Naga Mirchi, the Naga Tree Tomato, and the Naga Sweet Cucumber, she said that the Government is also taking steps to promote organic farming in the State.
 
Chairman, of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) North East Council, Pradeep Bagla expressed hope that the B-20 Conference in Kohima will not only carry the momentum forward but also set a new benchmark.
 
 
The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, which plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. India holds the Presidency of the G20 from 1st December 2022 to 30th November 2023.