AGARTALA, July 9 (TIWN): The states in India’s Northeast needs to form an independent economic zone to tap full advantage of the Look East Policy for development of the region, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Alok Sen said.

Addressing TRIPURA CONCLAVE - a one-day conclave on Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) forum of Regional cooperation, a sub-regional organisation and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) at Agartala on Wednesday, Sen said despite located at a strategic location in the new geo-political map of South East Asia’s economic corridor, Tripura alongwith many other NE states, was often denied proper attention from the union government.

Sen served as ambassador of India to Cambodia and Turkey during his stint in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well.

Sen today observed that uniqueness of each of the north-eastern states might have been seen as an cashable attribute in the international market but when it comes to business and commerce, it needed to be turned into a common formulation for the region as a whole.

In close support to Sen, former BBC former Correspondent Subir Bhaumik urged for a shift in policy and attitude of Centre towards states from Northeast India by looking at the geo-political advantages to win over the neighbours.

“No longer is Northeast seen as a remote and dangerous frontier zone; rather, many view it as 'gateways of opportunities of international trade and commerce. This new 'strategic vision' could be a 'game-changer' for Asia, especially because it has the potential to bring China, India, and South Asia,” Bhaumik said.