Empowering India’s northeast through technology and innovation

A region of complexity and potential

The northeast represents a remarkable confluence of biodiversity, culture, and strategic geography. It is a land of extraordinary promise and potential – home to a young population, fertile agricultural lands, an abundance of tea production and natural resources. Its strategic location as India’s gateway to the Southeast Asian corridor positions it at the centre of national and regional development strategies.

Yet, this promise is shadowed by persistent challenges. Its dispersed settlements, hilly terrain, fragile connectivity, drug trafficking and porous international boundaries complicate infrastructural development and pose security challenges. In addition to this, social unrest, evolving geopolitics, and lack of funds further limit development and effective delivery of public services.

Despite this, the northeast creates a perfect testbed for leapfrogging digital and innovative solutions in the region.

Overcoming barriers: Next step towards development

Realising the necessity for augmenting the capability and strengthening the governance functioning, the Central and State Governments have initiated digital interventions to overcome the longstanding barriers.

Programmes like BharatNet (extend network connectivity to approximately 250,000 gram panchayats) helped bridge the digital gap and enabled access to e-health, online education, and citizen services in remote villages.¹ The implementation of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) transforms policing by digitising case records and making information available at their fingertips, empowering the law enforcement agencies to fight crime and insurgency². Special assistance from Central Governments for programmes like the electronic Foreigners Tribunal (eFT) to create a digital database of illegal migrants and doubtful citizens has helped the state identify and mitigate the further infiltration of immigrants.³ The Union Government’s dedication to uplifting the Northeast is further demonstrated by the establishment of India’s second National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (NCFL) in the region⁴.

In parallel, the Investment and Infrastructure Summit highlights a significant effort to showcase its potential as a major investment destination for improved growth trajectory. Start-up incubation centres are being established across various locations in the Northeast. These foundational initiatives are further complemented by the government’s push into semiconductors and electronics manufacturing under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which opens new possibilities for establishing IT and electronics parks in the Northeast.⁵

Next horizon: Using technology as force multiplier

The need to adopt an outcome-based approach by harnessing emerging technology is the need of the hour. Modern technology can be applied across a wide range of sectors:

Blockchain-based solutions can provide authenticity and traceability for export products like tea, bamboo, and handicrafts, thereby enhancing export competitiveness and market credibility

Natural Language Processing (NLP) solutions like Bhashini can enhance accessibility by enabling e-governance platforms to function in local languages, a critical step in such a linguistically diverse region

Leveraging AI-powered data centres for threat prevention, unified security management, and continuous monitoring to aid the government in proactively detecting and mitigating risks

Beyond physical infrastructure, satellite internet and 5G can integrate remote communities into the digital economy. When paired with tech parks and incubation hubs, this can stem youth outmigration and foster a local innovation ecosystem

Advanced techniques such as OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) and HUMINT (Human Intelligence) can enhance predictive policing, cyber-patrolling, and crime forecasting by correlating data from telecom, financial, and social media sources

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionise agriculture through pest detection apps, yield prediction, smart irrigation management and AI-driven advisories to address climate volatility. AI and IoT-enabled flood forecasting and water monitoring systems can also help mitigate disaster impacts while supporting long-term resource planning

Drone technology offers significant utility for border surveillance, disaster management, and supply delivery in remote, hilly terrain. AI-powered surveillance drones, satellite-based monitoring, and data-driven insights can aid in combating narcotics trafficking, insurgency, and cross-border crimes

Working in tandem, these emerging technologies act as accelerators of impact – enhancing governance and enabling inclusive development.

How DGA can accelerate Northeast’s digital future?

While technology and infrastructure form the backbone, their success is contingent on how policies are crafted and implemented. With the commitment to build a digitally empowered government ecosystem, consulting firms, like KPMG in India, play a catalytical role in shaping the next phase of public sector transformation.

The Digital Government Advisory (DGA) domain of KPMG in India bring about practices, strategic insights, and implementation frameworks that transforms ambitious government projects into practical outcomes. DGA aims to bridge the gap between visionary policy intent and on-ground practical execution.

Turning these opportunities into outcomes could require an integrated strategy, disciplined execution, and stakeholder collaboration. DGA brings deep implementation experience across national and regional initiatives. The firm has supported application rollout, provided advisory support, advised on digital connectivity projects, and delivered e-governance solutions across the North-east. Building on this foundation, DGA can work with governments in several ways: designing digital strategies aligned with state priorities, supporting deployment of AI, ML, NLP, blockchain, and drones, enabling tech park and PPP models to attract private investment, and establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks for accountability.

DGA’s approach emphasises not only technological deployment but also capacity building and ecosystem creation, thereby helping ensure that such methodology are scalable, sustainable, and inclusive.

Conclusion

From potential to progress

The transformation of India’s Northeast is no longer a distant dream but an unfolding reality. The region, once considered peripheral, now holds the potential to become a strategic hub for India’s digital and economic aspirations. With its rich biodiversity, young human capital, and unique geographic positioning, the Northeast can emerge as both a national security asset and a driver of sustainable growth.

Earlier digital initiatives have addressed deep-rooted structural challenges. The next step lies in expanding the application of advanced technologies across key sectors such as security, agriculture, tourism, climate action, and governance, thereby transforming long-standing constraints into opportunities for inclusive growth.

For this journey, strategic partnerships will be pivotal. With its experience in large-scale digital transformation and prior engagement in the Northeast, KPMG in India’s Digital Government Advisory is positioned to serve as an anchor, helping the region translate bold ambitions into measurable impacts.