Sub-Regional Cooperation for Trade, Investment, and Employment in North-East India analyses the growth and development approach of the eight states that make up India's North-Eastern region--Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. This region shares a significantly long international border with five countries but is connected to its own country only through a narrow stretch called the 'Chicken's Neck'. Although the states are collectively referred to as North-East India, they are separate entities that became part of the Indian Union at different times. Each state of the region shares an international border with one or more countries and consequently depends on these neighbouring countries for its growth and development strategy. The Government of India has implemented the Act East Policy (formerly, Look East Policy) and the Neighbourhood First Policy to strengthen relations with the neighbouring countries, including economic cooperation, cultural ties, and strategic relationships. This edited volume highlights the need for sub-regional cooperation in India's North-East, as all eight states have unique features in terms of their evolution, culture, product development, and other aspects. The state-specific chapters present the strengths and resource advantages of the respective states, including the relations of their residents with those of the border-sharing countries, as well as the different sectors in which these states can cooperate with the neighbouring countries to propel their own growth. This compendium thus provides key insights on the need for and the benefits of cooperation between the North-East Indian states and India's neighbours.
