DPIIT-led coordination under PM GatiShakti boosts logistics, connectivity and trade integration in Northeast India.
The Government of India is advancing a coordinated strategy to align logistics policies in the North-Eastern Region (NER) with national connectivity, trade and industrial initiatives, anchored in the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry informed Parliament on Tuesday.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), mandated with the integrated development of the country’s logistics sector, said an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism has been put in place to synchronise logistics initiatives in the NER with broader infrastructure and economic policies. The PM GatiShakti platform, launched in October 2021, enables integrated and data-driven planning across ministries.
To further strengthen logistics planning in the region, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) in July 2024, following decisions taken at the 71st Plenary of the North Eastern Council. The IMC is tasked with assessing the logistics ecosystem in the NER and recommending measures to improve planning and execution.
Implementation of the IMC’s roadmap is being monitored by a Steering Group under MDoNER, comprising representatives from DPIIT (Logistics Division), other concerned line ministries, and the eight North-Eastern States.
On the international connectivity front, the Ministry of External Affairs said that under India’s Act East and Neighbourhood First policies, two major cross-border connectivity projects are being implemented through Myanmar to enhance access to ASEAN markets. These include the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project and the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway.
Additionally, improved rail, road and inland waterway connectivity with Bangladesh is strengthening access to and from the North-Eastern Region and supporting wider sub-regional integration. Institutional mechanisms such as Joint Working Groups on Trade, Sub-Groups on Land Customs Stations and Integrated Check Posts, and Joint Committees on Border Haats have been established to improve coordination between Indian and Bangladeshi authorities, including agencies operating in the NER.
The government said the roadmap to position the North-Eastern Region as a logistics and trade gateway is being pursued through a multi-pronged strategy. This includes coordinated policy planning, institutional mechanisms, and PM GatiShakti–based geospatial mapping of multimodal connectivity, industrial clusters, logistics parks, border infrastructure and key economic assets, alongside physical connectivity projects implemented by line ministries.
This information was shared by Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 11 Feb. 26.
Source: PIB
