Government of Nagaland a roundtable with visiting Indian Foreign Service officers at Hotel De Oriental Grand, Kohima on September 2. (DIPR Photo)
KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 4 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland, through the Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), hosted a roundtable with visiting Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers at Hotel De Oriental Grand, Kohima, on September 2.
The meeting was chaired by Abu Metha, Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of IDAN, and attended by Ministers, Advisors, senior officials and stakeholders from multiple departments.
Special guests included Robert Shetkintong, High Commissioner of India to Maputo, Mozambique, and R Masakui, Consul General of India in Vancouver, Canada, who are on a state attachment as part of the Mid-Career Training Programme (MCTP-III) of the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.
Metha, in his welcome address, highlighted Nagaland’s transition from a conflict-driven narrative to one of opportunities in culture, sports and tourism. He said the state was emerging with new confidence among its youth and called for leveraging Indian Missions abroad to showcase Nagaland’s strengths.
Minister for Tourism and Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along, underlined the state’s uniqueness with more than 2,000 vibrant villages, a safe environment for women, and aspirations for prosperity. He stressed the need to nurture Nagaland’s creative economy, expand employment opportunities and harness cultural and social capital for growth.
Presentations by IDAN and the Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA) showcased Nagaland’s potential in music, arts, handloom, handicrafts, film and festivals such as the Hornbill Festival. TaFMA highlighted the state’s growing global footprint through partnerships, training and international performances.
Discussions also emphasised sports as a driver of youth empowerment. Metha announced that Nagaland will host the World Belt Wrestling Championship in November 2025. Opportunities for collaboration in traditional sports, e-sports and exchange programmes for athletes and coaches were explored.
Masakui highlighted the importance of aligning Nagaland’s strengths with India’s Act East Policy through educational exchanges, promotion of indigenous knowledge and branding of unique Naga products for global markets. Shetkintong encouraged the state to expand cultural diplomacy, tourism promotion and market linkages for artisans and entrepreneurs, citing opportunities for Naga artists and performers to participate in global platforms.
Legislators, senior officers and stakeholders shared insights on promoting private sector participation, strengthening education with global best practices, supporting handicraft and handloom exports, and expanding indigenous knowledge systems.
The roundtable concluded with a commitment to position Nagaland as a hub of the creative economy in Asia through the convergence of culture, sports, tourism and innovation. The state government expressed gratitude to the visiting officers and reaffirmed that their facilitation through Indian Missions abroad would play a key role in connecting Nagaland to global opportunities.
