First Principles Thinking: Fulfilling moral duty can drive long term growth

Most would agree India has largely ignored its 8 North Eastern States since independence. It’s quite staggering to reflect that Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura are rarely discussed.

While this Government has tried to undo a lot of the damage, a lot still needs to be done to be able to mainstream the majority of the population of India’s Northeast.

Several pillars to develop the Northeast as India’s growth engine are already in place

Several pillars to develop the Northeast as India’s growth engine are already in place

• Literacy & English – The average literacy rate in the NE is higher than the national average of 74% and 6 of the 8 states use English as the official language.

• Nature – The region is 64% covered with rainforests. This is a killer advantage in today’s sustainability-seeking world. Of the nine vegetation types of India, six are found in the NE and the forests harbor 8000 out of 15000 species of flowering plants in India.

• Resources and Energy - The Centre for Science and Environment studies show that the NE can generate its entire electricity from renewable sources. Also, reserves of petroleum and natural gas in the region are estimated to constitute a fifth of India's total potential.

• Tourism – Nations become economic powerhouses on the back of tourism. The NE has it all – mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, forests, and the stunning Purvanchal Range.

• Trade Potential - The region shares an international border of over 5000 km with 5 of India’s neighbors. In addition, Horticulture, Ayurveda, Tea plantations are all big levers

• Culture of Athletics – Sports men and women from the NE have been exceptional. A culture of athletic excellence equals a culture of pride for the entire nation. The NE is making it happen for India.

Combine the Building pace of Dubai, the Tourism of Switzerland, and the GDP of Spain and you have a growth engine of India

• Dubai was built because it built infrastructure. All in just 15 years. Infrastructure is infectious.

• Switzerland became a financial epicenter on the back of its natural beauty. NE too has it all.

• Spain has a population the same size as NE India (45 million) and is a $1.4 trillion economy

Get the picture? The models exist. Growth Drivers and Growth Potential are a deadly combination.

It is our Moral Duty to build a TRUE One Nation: They are as Indian as we are.

For too long we have treated the Northeast as an appendage of the body. Look at the historical Spanish armada that once drove Spain to do great things. The more we uplift through development - the less relevant border and seceding issues. This is true geopolitical strength in a hostile world.

Mainstreaming the fringes: Who will be these Champions of Hope?

We need a few individuals who will champion the cause and take it further - who believe that the Northeast can become the pride of India – who galvanize corporates into action – who centralizes the fringes.