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Mumbai / Shillong, June 15, 2026: Meghalaya became the epicentre of India’s infrastructural revolution today as the landmark North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (NEIINFRA) 2026 officially commenced at the Lariti Complex in New Shillong. The summit aims to strengthen regional connectivity, accelerate infrastructure development, and unlock investment opportunities across Northeast India.
Organised and Hosted by the Government of Meghalaya¸ with the Federation of Industry and Commerce of North East Region (FINER) alongside the Build India Foundation as the partners, the convergence represents the very first summit dedicated exclusively to infrastructure and investment across Northeast India. Notably the summit features 1500+ delegates, 8 Union Ministries and all 8 Northeastern States. The comprehensive event will explore 6 key sectors, 8+ summit sessions, 3+ CEO roundtables, and a showcase of 60+ exhibitors. The agenda focuses on unlocking the potential of the eight Northeastern States, the ‘Ashtalakshmi’, positioning the region as India’s primary growth engine and gateway to Southeast Asia to fuel the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
The most coveted inaugural ceremony brought together Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Meghalaya, alongside Shri Neiphiu Rio, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri Sanjay Jaju, Union DONER Secretary and other key stakeholders, cementing an unprecedented alignment of national policy and regional governance.
Delivering the definitive keynote address, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister based his vision in development, emphasizing that high-quality infrastructure must directly uplift the population. Declaring the central government’s commitment, he asserted, “We will bring the road infrastructure of the Northeast equivalent to the progressive, prosperous, and developed states of India; this is our resolve and we will fulfil it.” He noted that the appropriate leadership, appropriate vision of the leadership, can convert waste into wealth. Congratulating the Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister for organizing the large-scale industrial convention, he noted that the summit is a major step forward that will “inspire and motivate all the investors.”
Meghalaya is set for a major infrastructure overhaul with National Highway projects worth nearly ₹39,800 crore spanning approximately 450 km.
- The flagship 4-Lane Greenfield Shillong–Silchar Corridor (165 km, ₹23,000 crore) will cut travel time between the two cities by 50%, improving connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur.
- The 4-Lane Greenfield Jorabat–Barapani Corridor (66 km, ₹8,500 crore) will reduce Guwahati–Shillong travel time from 2.5 hours to one hour, forming part of a future Siliguri–Guwahati–Shillong–Silchar economic corridor.
- The Darugiri–Baghmara–Dalu section of NH-217 (136 km, ₹4,000 crore) will improve connectivity in remote Garo Hills border areas adjoining Bangladesh.
- Additional projects include the Pomlum–Umtyngar 4-laning on the Shillong–Dawki corridor, the Tura–Dalu improvement, Tura Bypass, Pynursla Bypass, and NH-127B works linked to the Dhubri–Phulbari Bridge.
Together, these projects will boost cross-border trade at Dawki and Dalu, enhance tourism access to destinations like Sohra, Mawlynnong, and Krang Suri Falls, generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and improve market access for farmers and entrepreneurs across Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills. Meghalaya is positioned to become a strategic gateway for North East connectivity.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, said that the region has moved past decades of instability into an era of widespread peace and political stability, echoing the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision that this is the right time for the Northeast. Highlighting Meghalaya’s rapid economic transformation, he noted that the State now ranks third nationwide in GDP growth over the last five years, driven by a doubled state budget, a six-fold increase in capital expenditure, and a historic ₹50,000 crore investment in road infrastructure. Outlining the vision of the summit, he explained that it aims to unite all stakeholders to collectively identify and transform challenges into dynamic opportunities. Emphasizing that this momentum must be a collaborative endeavour, he concluded, “I hope that this summit will not just be a program, but this will be a beginning of a very long journey and a partnership that will ensure that we will take both the private sector, the government, and most importantly, the public to new heights in the days to come.”
In his address, Shri Neiphiu Rio, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland highlighted that the Northeast is entering a dynamic phase of transformation driven by the Act East Policy. Expressing his gratitude to Meghalaya for hosting the crucial infrastructure summit, he noted that such collaborative platforms are essential for bringing together the government, investors, and stakeholders to translate shared developmental visions into reality.
During the inaugural ceremony, the dignitaries officially released the Knowledge Papers and Vision Report, compiled by a Special Knowledge Committee led by Shri Atul Kulkarni of IIM Shillong.
Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of DoNER, emphasized that the North East is rapidly transforming into a strategic growth engine and India’s gateway to Southeast Asia, driven by focused investments in climate-resilient infrastructure. Complementing this expansion, Dr. Shakil P. Ahammed, Chief Secretary, Meghalaya proposed a strategic pivot to further accelerate trade, optimize transit times, urging industry leaders to aggressively tap into the region’s expanding infrastructure, digital technology, and biotechnology sectors to fully realize its potential as the pole of India’s future development.
Showcasing this regional momentum, Shri Sanjay Goyal, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of PWD, Meghalaya, highlighted the State’s sustained 10% post-COVID GSDP growth. He noted that a ₹50,400 crore investment in highway development has built or upgraded over 4,700 km of roads and 2,800 km of bridges in the last eight years, with transformative projects like the Shillong-Silchar 4-lane corridor and the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge set to unlock the region’s economic potential.
At the absolute core of this economic transformation is the host Meghalaya, which has rapidly emerged as one of the country’s fastest-growing economies through sustained investments in infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, information technology, and grassroots entrepreneurship under the leadership of Shri Conrad K. Sangma. Serving as the ultimate gateway for regional growth, Meghalaya is aggressively leveraging this platform to demonstrate its institutional readiness to absorb high-value global investments.
