CM Rio showcases Nagaland’s investment potential at World Expo

In a landmark moment for the state, Nagaland chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio delivered the keynote address at a special session of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Wednesday, marking the state’s first-ever official participation at the prestigious global event, a DIPR report stated.
Speaking on the theme “Investment, Tourism and Human Resource Opportunities in Nagaland,” Rio highlighted the state’s unique strengths as an emerging destination for sustainable investment and global tourism. He underscored Nagaland’s strategic location in North East India– serving as a gateway to the ASEAN region– and reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring a secure, transparent, and investor-friendly environment.
“Nagaland offers first-mover advantage across multiple sectors, from agribusiness and eco-tourism to artisanal crafts, technology, and creative industries. We have instituted a strong support system backed by single-window clearances, best practices, and high implementation standards,” Rio said. He further highlighted Nagaland’s high literacy rate, youthful population, and cultural richness as enablers of growth, assuring potential investors of the state’s record of safety, especially for women, and its peaceful social fabric.
The World Expo, first held in 1851, is one of the oldest and most significant global exhibitions, held every five years. The 2025 edition in Osaka, themed “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” focuses on collaboration, technology, sustainability, and inclusive growth. Nagaland’s participation marks a milestone in placing the state on the global map. Following the keynote, Abu Metha, advisor to chief minister and chairman of the Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), delivered a presentation titled “Nagaland – The Land of Festivals: Celebrating Culture, Creating Futures.” The presentation showcased Nagaland’s vibrant cultural ecosystem, dynamic youth, and economic potential.
Metha highlighted the richness of Nagaland’s ethnic mosaic, the dynamism of its youths and the strategic policies in place to drive investment and innovation. He also spoke of the globally renowned Hornbill Festival, Nagaland’s emerging presence in music, arts, sports, and the growth of its creative economy– ranging from gaming start-ups to film production. He also spotlighted the state’s tertiary sector, natural resources, and start-up ecosystem driven by progressive state policies such as the Nagaland Start-Up Policy, Tourism Policy 2024, and UNNATI Scheme 2024.
He stressed opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors, the scope for collaboration and technology transfer, and the availability of skilled and talented human resources capable of contributing across sectors.
Advisor for Industries and Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu, also played a key role in coordinating the state’s engagements with international stakeholders. During business-to-business (B2B) meetings and industry deliberations, she emphasized Nagaland’s potential in industrial development—particularly in food processing, agricultural technologies, and start-ups.
Hekani underlined the investor-friendly policies of the state government, the conducive business environment, and the high skill level of the Naga youth. She expressed confidence that Nagaland’s vibrant and innovative youth could be key contributors to bilateral collaborations. The session was attended by officials from the Government of Japan, Osaka Prefecture, country pavilions, and corporate leaders. Nagaland’s debut at the World Expo 2025 marks a confident step into global economic and cultural diplomacy—projecting a forward-looking, investment-ready state rooted in heritage and driven by innovation.