From Guwahati to Viksit Bharat: Why Assam Is Central to Modi’s Development Vision

The inauguration of the new terminal building at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati marks more than an expansion of aviation infrastructure. It represents a defining moment in Assam’s evolving relationship with connectivity, culture, national policy, and global engagement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the event framed the occasion not merely as an administrative achievement, but as a symbolic “festival of development” for Assam and the entire Northeast.

Modi described development as a light that, once it reaches people, transforms every path of life. His remarks reflected a recurring theme of his engagement with the region: an emotional bond with Assam and the Northeast, and a particular acknowledgement of the affection and support of women, whom he repeatedly referred to as a source of inspiration and strength in the region’s development journey.

Drawing from the words of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, Modi invoked the imagery of the Brahmaputra—its unstoppable flow likened to what he called the uninterrupted stream of development under the current governments at the Centre and in the state. According to him, the new airport terminal stands as physical evidence of that continuity, signalling that Assam’s development is no longer episodic but sustained.

Legacy and Identity at the Centre of Development

A significant part of the Prime Minister’s address was devoted to the legacy of Assam’s first Chief Minister, Gopinath Bordoloi, whose statue he unveiled earlier in the day. Bordoloi was portrayed not only as a political leader but as a guardian of Assam’s identity—someone who refused to compromise the state’s future, culture, and interests, even when it meant standing against his own party during crucial moments in history.

The Prime Minister traced Assam’s contemporary challenges to historical decisions made during the pre- and post-independence periods, asserting that attempts were once made to merge Assam with undivided Bengal and later East Pakistan. He credited Bordoloi with resisting these efforts and preserving Assam’s place within India, and positioned the Bharat Ratna conferred upon him as recognition that transcends party lines.

Infrastructure as Justice, Not Privilege

Modi framed modern infrastructure—airports, highways, bridges, railways—not as luxuries but as long-overdue justice for Assam and the Northeast. He contrasted the present with earlier decades, when, according to him, previous governments viewed development in the region as unnecessary, often questioning the need for modern connectivity in Assam at all. That mindset, he argued, resulted in decades of neglect.

He claimed that mistakes made over six to seven decades are now being corrected, project by project. In his view, Assam’s development is not only a policy priority but a personal responsibility. Over the last eleven years, he said, projects worth lakhs of crores of rupees have been initiated across Assam and the Northeast.

Modi pointed to Assam’s top ranking in implementing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as evidence of governance reform, and highlighted the installation of over 50 lakh smart prepaid electricity meters as another milestone. He contrasted the present with an earlier era where, he alleged, government jobs were impossible without bribes or influence, stating that today thousands of youths are being recruited transparently.

Culture as a Driver, Not a Casualty

Far from being sidelined, Assam’s culture was repeatedly projected as a central pillar of development. Modi recalled the mass Bihu dance performance of April 13, 2023, where over 11,000 artists performed together—an event that entered the Guinness World Records. According to him, such moments demonstrate that Assam’s cultural identity is not being diluted by development, but amplified through it.

This philosophy is embedded in the design of the new airport terminal itself. Described as India’s first nature-themed terminal, the structure draws heavily from Assam’s biodiversity and artistic traditions under the theme “Bamboo Orchids.” Nearly 140 metric tonnes of locally sourced bamboo have been used, alongside Kaziranga-inspired landscapes, japi motifs, rhino imagery, orchid-shaped columns, and a “Sky Forest” featuring nearly one lakh indigenous plants.

Modi recalled a key policy decision taken in 2017—reclassifying bamboo grown in non-forest areas as grass instead of a tree under the Indian Forest Act. He linked that reform directly to the terminal’s design, presenting it as an example of how policy decisions can unlock both economic and cultural value.

Connectivity, Capacity and Confidence

With the new terminal, Guwahati airport’s capacity is set to exceed 1.25 crore passengers annually. Modi underlined its implications for tourism, religious travel, and economic mobility, noting that access to destinations such as the Kamakhya Temple would become easier for devotees from across the country.

Beyond aviation, the Prime Minister presented Assam as a growing multimodal hub. He highlighted the construction of four mega bridges in the last decade—compared to just three in the six to seven decades after independence—including the Bogibeel and Dhola-Sadiya bridges, which have strengthened both civilian connectivity and strategic capabilities.

Rail connectivity, he noted, has seen a transformation, with projects like the Bogibeel Bridge reducing distances between Upper Assam and the rest of India, and the Vande Bharat Express cutting travel time between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri. Inland waterways have also emerged as economic assets, with cargo traffic on the Brahmaputra increasing by 140 percent. The development of a ship repair facility at Pandu and the global attention drawn by the Ganga Vilas cruise were cited as signs that the Northeast is now firmly on the world tourism map.

Act East, Security and the Politics of Identity

Modi placed Assam at the heart of India’s Act East Policy, describing it as the country’s eastern gateway and a bridge to ASEAN nations. According to him, infrastructure development sends a message not just to investors and industries, but to the youth—signalling opportunity, confidence, and a future anchored in the region itself.

At the same time, the speech took a sharp political turn. Modi accused previous governments of allowing violence, insecurity, and infiltration to flourish, claiming that such policies endangered Assam’s demographic balance, land, forests, and identity. He alleged that religious appeasement and unchecked infiltration altered the state’s social fabric and undermined national security.

He praised the current Assam government’s efforts to remove illegal encroachments and prevent infiltration, asserting that resources must benefit the people of Assam. He also criticised opposition parties and alliances for what he termed an anti-national stance, alleging that they defend infiltrators even as institutions seek to ensure fair elections and lawful identification processes.

The Northeast as India’s New Sunrise

Closing his address, Modi returned to a broader national vision. He said India’s global standing has changed, with the country now moving toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy. Infrastructure, he argued, has been central to this transformation, and the journey toward 2047—a developed India—requires every state and region to move forward together.

In this vision, Assam and the Northeast are no longer peripheral. They are central. “India’s new sunrise,” Modi declared, “will begin from the Northeast.” The new terminal at Guwahati airport, in that sense, is not just a building—it is a statement of intent about where the country believes its future growth, confidence, and connectivity will come from.

Also Read: LIVE | PM Modi Accuses Congress of Neglect, Says BJP Restoring Justice to Assam