Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quietly making its way into the far-flung corners of India, and the North-east is no exception. From smart agriculture solutions to early flood prediction models and remote healthcare facilities in hilly interiors, AI has the potential to bridge gaps created by geography, infrastructure, and decades of isolation.
To discuss this roadmap, a high-level seminar titled 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) and North-east India', organised by the Society for Harmonising Aspirations for Responsible Engagement (SHARE), spotlighted the North-east as a strategic frontier for India’s technological leap and connectivity with South-east Asia.
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Chaired by IFS (Retd.) Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Foreign Secretary and Head of Global Affairs at SHARE, the discussion drew eminent government officials, industry leaders, academics, and AI experts.
Shringla emphasised the region’s geopolitical importance, calling it India’s "gateway to ASEAN nations". He underlined how integrating AI into governance could transform the administration, bridge gaps, and unlock vast developmental potential.
He shared an example from the G20 Summit hosted in India, where an innovative app was developed to help delegates understand each other’s languages seamlessly.
“After the summit ended, the Prime Minister invited everyone to celebrate its success. At that event, a woman constable spoke about her experience. She explained how the delegate she was assigned to used the app to communicate with her making it easy to give directions and respond without any confusion,” Shringla explained, emphasising that technology—especially AI—is now more essential than ever.
IFS Angshuman Dey, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the Chair of the Steering Committee for AI in North-East, framed the conversation around Industry 4.0.
“The fourth Industrial Revolution is here and moving fast. It will redefine the North-East’s economic and technological future,” he said, noting that MDoNER was preparing a roadmap to integrate AI in sectors like agriculture, tourism, disaster management, and skill development.
Industry voices echoed optimism. Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director Asia South at NVIDIA India, highlighted the North-east’s potential to harness AI in culturally and ecologically sensitive ways.
“The region can map its strengths using AI, and setting up an AI Factory here to create AI tokens and encourage local innovation would be a meaningful step,” he suggested.
IAS Amit Sharma, Secretary, Department of ICT at the Government of Mizoram, added that Mizoram was already making strides in digital governance, laying the groundwork for AI adoption in service delivery.
Moderated by general secretary Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, the lively session was enriched by the participation of ministry officials, academia, startups, senior journalists, and cybersecurity experts.
