Union Minister Jaishankar arrives Manipur at on three-day visit

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Nov. 26 (EMN): Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Manipur, arrived at Imphal on Saturday to attend the ongoing Manipur Sangai Festival 2022.

Manipur Sangai Festival is the biggest tourism promotion festival which is being celebrated at 13 different venues across the state.

On his arrival at the Bir Tikendrajit International airport, Jaishankar was accorded a warm welcome by Manipur ministers and state BJP unit leaders.

Without delay, he drove straight to a hotel and attended an interactive session organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. RK Ranjan Singh, North Eastern Council Secretary K Moses Chalai and CII Co Chairman Pradeep Bagla also attended the interaction session which was moderated by Joint Secretary(ED) Md Noor Rahman Sheikh of Ministry of External Affairs.

During the interactive session, Jaishankar spoke on developing connectivity, better health care system, trade, food, economy and export of goods and services. Responding to questions during the interaction, he said that he will take up the issues of air connectivity of the Northeast region with his civil aviation counterparts.

On medical tourism, Jaishankar said that every part of India is growing with medical tourists, adding to which he said that people in Gulf countries come to hospitals in Gujarat and Maharashtra, from central Asia to Delhi, Indian Ocean (countries) to Thiruvandapuram and Chennai, etc.

 “To me there is an absolute sense that we develop Northeast as a hub for medical tourism,” he said.

On the proposal of collaboration with universities of other countries, he said the government is working on it.

Later he attended other interactions with the students and faculty members of Manipur University and other institutions in the state at the City convention centre in Imphal East district.

In the evening, Jaishankar attended the cultural evening session of the Manipur Sangai Festival 2022 along with state Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. RK Ranjan Singh at the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre in Imphal.

On November 27, the Union minister is scheduled to visit world war memorials in Imphal and Nambol besides Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in NE India at Moirang in Bishnupur district.