Northeast has the potential to become India's growth engine, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday while asserting that peace has now established in the region.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Manipur Water Supply Project today, through video conferencing, the Prime Minister highlighted that modern infrastructure is being built to improve connectivity.

"The Northeast has the potential to become the growth engine of the country. Day by day my faith is getting deeper because peace is now being established in the entire region. The mantra of peace, progress and prosperity is echoing in the Northeast," the Prime Minister said.

"While blockades in Manipur have become a part of history, Assam has witnessed a phase of violence for decades. In Tripura and Mizoram too, youth have abandoned the path of violence. Now Bru-Reang refugees are moving towards a better life," he said.

The Prime Minister said modern infrastructure is being built in the Northeast emphasising that connectivity in the region is important, not for only ease of living, but also for achieving the goal for self-reliant India.

He said that tourism potential of the region, including Manipur, is still unexplored.

"Natural and cultural diversity of the Northeast is a great symbol of cultural strength. In such a situation, tourism also gets a lot of strength when modern infrastructure is built. Tourism potential of Northeast, including Manipur, is still unexplored," he said.

"Connectivity of Northeast is important for ease of living of people here. But it is also substantial for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. On one hand, it strengthens our social and trade relations with Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, while also strengthening India's Act East Policy," he said.

The Prime Minister said that India's Northeast, in a way, is the gateway to our ancient cultural relationships with East Asia and the future of trade, travel and tourism.

Northeast has the potential to become India's growth engine, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday while asserting that peace has now established in the region.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Manipur Water Supply Project today, through video conferencing, the Prime Minister highlighted that modern infrastructure is being built to improve connectivity.

"The Northeast has the potential to become the growth engine of the country. Day by day my faith is getting deeper because peace is now being established in the entire region. The mantra of peace, progress and prosperity is echoing in the Northeast," the Prime Minister said.

"While blockades in Manipur have become a part of history, Assam has witnessed a phase of violence for decades. In Tripura and Mizoram too, youth have abandoned the path of violence. Now Bru-Reang refugees are moving towards a better life," he said.

The Prime Minister said modern infrastructure is being built in the Northeast emphasising that connectivity in the region is important, not for only ease of living, but also for achieving the goal for self-reliant India.

He said that tourism potential of the region, including Manipur, is still unexplored.

"Natural and cultural diversity of the Northeast is a great symbol of cultural strength. In such a situation, tourism also gets a lot of strength when modern infrastructure is built. Tourism potential of Northeast, including Manipur, is still unexplored," he said.

"Connectivity of Northeast is important for ease of living of people here. But it is also substantial for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. On one hand, it strengthens our social and trade relations with Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, while also strengthening India's Act East Policy," he said.

The Prime Minister said that India's Northeast, in a way, is the gateway to our ancient cultural relationships with East Asia and the future of trade, travel and tourism.