Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with Bhutan Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, attended the roadshow and business session for the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025’ in Thimphu on Sunday. The event, organized by the Assam government, aimed at strengthening economic ties between Assam and Bhutan while promoting investment and infrastructure development in both regions.
Speaking at the Le Meridien Hotel, CM Sarma highlighted Assam’s rapid infrastructural progress and emphasized the state’s pivotal role in furthering India’s Act East Policy. He announced that the ‘Advantage Assam 2.0’ summit will take place in Guwahati on February 25-26, 2025, and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sarma underscored the long-standing historical, cultural, and economic relationship between Assam and Bhutan, noting that centuries-old trade routes between the two regions facilitated mutual growth and understanding. He also extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Tobgay to attend the summit in 2025.
The Chief Minister pointed to several areas for potential collaboration, including renewable energy, tourism, healthcare, and education. He proposed joint energy projects leveraging Bhutan’s hydropower expertise, while also suggesting the development of tourism circuits that would link Bhutan’s natural landscapes with Assam’s renowned wildlife destinations, such as Kaziranga and Majuli.
In healthcare, Sarma offered Assam’s extensive cancer care network to benefit Bhutanese patients and encouraged Bhutanese students to explore educational opportunities in Assam, particularly in medical and skill development programs.
The roadshow was attended by Bhutanese cabinet ministers, India’s Ambassador to Bhutan Sudhakar Dalela, and a delegation of business leaders from both nations. CM Sarma concluded by inviting Bhutanese stakeholders to join the upcoming summit, emphasizing that it would further deepen Assam-Bhutan relations and open new avenues for economic cooperation and regional growth.
