Nagaland: Export State Summit underway at Chümou

A two-day Export State Summit 2026 commenced Friday at Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex, Chümoukedima. The summit was organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce in association with Nagaland Industrial Development Corporation (NIDC) Ltd. under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) scheme.
Delivering the keynote address, advisor for Industries and Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu, appreciated participants for attending the workshop and underlined its importance for entrepreneurs in the state.
She acknowledged the presence of resource persons from organisations including Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), and India Post.
Hekani informed that the two-day workshop would feature intensive deliberations, with the first day focusing on food processing and the second on handicrafts and handloom.
She encouraged both young and experienced entrepreneurs to actively engage in the sessions and ensure their queries were addressed so they could return with practical knowledge to strengthen their businesses.
Highlighting recent achievements, she said Nagaland had secured the top position among North Eastern states in the Export Preparedness Index released by NITI Aayog, placing it in the “Leader” category, while ranking third among small states nationwide.
She noted that the recognition reflected government efforts to establish systems and policies supporting export-oriented growth.
She further informed that the Department of Industries and Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Kolkata on February 5 to facilitate export promotion initiatives, including setting up an Export Facilitation Centre. The initiative, she said, was part of the government’s efforts to create a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurs.
While acknowledging challenges such as infrastructure gaps and limited access to finance, Hekani stressed the need for entrepreneurs to adopt better business management practices, including proper bookkeeping and systematic operations. She said under the RAMP programme, awareness and capacity-building programmes had reached nearly 15,000 MSMEs across the state, including rural areas. Around 750 high-potential entrepreneurs are also being identified for mentoring to help scale up their businesses.
Encouraging entrepreneurs to explore international markets, she emphasized the importance of maintaining quality standards, certifications, and compliance with global norms. She added that entrepreneurship and export-oriented businesses would play a key role in achieving the vision of “Viksit Nagaland 2047”, aligned with the national goal of a developed India by 2047.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by director, Industries and Commerce, P Tokugha Sema, with welcome address delivered by secretary, Industries and Commerce, Kumar Ramnikant, and vote of thanks offered by chairman, NIDC, Kvulo Lorin.