At the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav, Union Communications and Northeast Development Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the beginning of India's rise can be ensured only from the Northeast region. In a discussion with NDTV Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia, he said "Northeast India will definitely become the country's growth engine. The governments have been working to date thinking that Northeast is a work of the country." He also said, "Northeast is not only an important growth engine of India. The first ray of sunlight in India falls on Arunachal Pradesh. So the beginning of India's rise can be ensured only from the Northeast region. This is the vision of the Prime Minister."