What if the plant choking Assam’s rivers is not a liability, but one of its most underpriced economic assets? Across Southeast Asia, water hyacinth has quietly moved from nuisance to industry. Vietnam has built export-scale furniture ecosystems around it. Bangladesh has integrated it into global handicraft supply chains. The Philippines is experimenting with fibre-level processing….
In what could mark a defining shift in India’s entrepreneurial landscape, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has introduced sweeping changes to the Startup India policy. For the first time, the coveted “startup” label — along with its basket of tax benefits, funding support, and innovation incentives — is no longer reserved only for urban…
Sikkim has long been recognised for its leadership in organic farming, pharmaceuticals, and ecological stewardship. Now, the Himalayan state appears to be scripting a new economic chapter—one that shifts the focus from land-intensive industries to knowledge-, design-, and creativity-led growth. Two recent policy signals make this transition unmistakable: the Sikkim Start-up Policy 2025 and a…
The announcement that National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) plans to launch two new funds worth ₹1,300 crore in January 2026 has generated quiet optimism across India’s agritech and climate innovation ecosystem. At first glance, the initiative appears timely and well-aligned with India’s stated priorities: sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and rural transformation. However,…
As India moves towards an ambitious target of registering 10,000 Geographical Indication (GI) products by 2030, the role of North East India is becoming increasingly important. Against this backdrop, GI Mahotsav 2026, scheduled from January 15 to 18, 2026, at Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati, assumes special significance. The four-day event comes at a time when…
Across India’s diverse food economy, meat consumption has never been uniform — it reflects deep regional, cultural, and historical patterns. For large parts of the North-East, pork is more than protein: it’s identity, tradition, and everyday taste. Yet for decades, the piggery and pork retail ecosystem operated in an informal space, defined by backyard rearing,…
