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The North East India Festival (NEIF) will make its Singapore debut from September 19 to 21, bringing the region’s cultural performances, trade opportunities, and tourism offerings to the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre. The three-day event will connect India’s North Eastern Region (NER) with ASEAN markets through exhibitions, live entertainment, and networking platforms.
Marking 60 years of India–Singapore diplomatic ties, the festival will highlight trade and tourism opportunities, cultural exchange, regional entrepreneurship, promote signature festivals, and introduce niche products to new markets.
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In line with the Act East Vision of the Prime Minister of India, NEIF was launched to strengthen ties between the Northeast and Southeast Asia. NEIF has previously drawn large audiences in Bangkok (2019, 2022) and Ho Chi Minh City (2023). In his town-hall address in Bangkok in 2019, the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as India’s initiative to connect South East Asia through North East India.
This year’s edition marks the 60th anniversary of India–Singapore diplomatic relations and coincides with the India–ASEAN Year of Tourism. It will be a presentation organised by the Indian High Commission, the Ministry of External Affairs, and state governments across the Northeast, driven by Trend MMS, the organiser of North East Festival initiatives, with support from the Assam Association, Singapore, and the North East India Association, Singapore.
The opening ceremony on September 19 will be attended by Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya; and state ministers from Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, and others. Top Government of Singapore functionaries, industrialists, and tour operators from Singapore, along with ASEAN embassies, will attend the inaugural session. Before the inaugural session, an Investors Roundtable will be organised by the Singapore Business Forum, where leading Singaporean industrialists will hold one-to-one meetings with leaders of North East India. Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Pabitra Margherita, is expected to grace the closing session. Singapore’s top ministers will attend the festival on various days.
The main exhibition will run on September 20 and 21 from 10:00 to 22:00. Around 60 stalls will showcase the best of GI products, including One District One Product (special emphasis on agri-horti and food processing products of the NER), a curated handicrafts exhibition by 10 award-winning artisans, an Assam tea showcase and tasting, and regional cuisines. Many start-up entrepreneurs from the region will participate. Around 150 folk dancers will perform, including Lion Dance from Arunachal, Sattriya, Tiwa, Karbi dances from Assam, Manipuri dance, Hojagiri from Tripura, and Warriors’ dances from Nagaland, among others. A special showcase by Indian cultural performers from SIFAS, Singapore, will add to the attractions.
The evening will feature a spectacular fashion show highlighting some of India’s finest designers and their silk products. Popular tourism destinations and exotic facets of India will be showcased. Top musical acts from Nagaland and Manipur, the region’s heartthrob Zubeen Garg, Tripura rapper Borkung Hrangkhal, popular Meghalaya bands such as Meba Offilia and Nokpante, Six Frets, and Nagaland folk rock singer Seyie Chuzo, Parmeta Reang, and others will perform.
Entry is free. Shyamkanu Mahanta, Chief Organiser, stated that more than 400 people are travelling to participate in India’s most significant programme in Singapore to date. He noted that the B2B meetings will involve major Singaporean tour operators interacting with North East operators. Trade meetings will see prominent Singaporean buyers engaging with North East entrepreneurs. The two evenings of fashion will feature talented designers from the NER, including Bompi Riram, Sarleen Engtipi, Daniel Siyem, Iba Malai, Daisy Momin, Arbin Tonjam, T Hmar, and Chimi, among others.
Trade exhibits will include GI-certified teas, coffees, and spices; organic produce from Sikkim; textiles and handicrafts from Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh; and distinctive agricultural products from the region. The tourism pavilion will promote signature events such as the Hornbill Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival, and Tawang Festival, along with adventure travel routes that remain off the beaten track.
Addressing the festival’s goals, Chief Organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta remarked, “Singaporeoffers a space where cultures interact, commerce thrives, and new ideas build traction. Through the NorthEastIndiaFestival, our goal is to give entrepreneurs, artists, and tourism promoters a platform that connects them directly with global audiences. Visitors will experience the traditions and creativity of our region while discovering avenues for investment and collaboration. Whether in agriculture, textiles, travel, or creative sectors, the potential for meaningful partnerships is strong. We want this festivalto spark dialogue that leads to sustained engagement between the Northeast and ASEAN countries.”
