Vice-President Radhakrishnan Emphasizes Arunachal Pradesh's Role in National Unity

During his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan emphasized the state's crucial role in India's unity and development. He highlighted the region's cultural richness and potential, while also addressing the government's increasing focus on the Northeast. The Vice-President noted significant economic growth in the state and the importance of its natural resources for environmental security. Meanwhile, the state Congress protested against being denied an appointment with him to discuss pressing issues, including security and local recruitment in the armed forces. This visit underscores the ongoing dialogue about the region's development and its strategic importance to the nation.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 9, 2026, 18:02 IST

Significance of Arunachal Pradesh

Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan during a visit to Nyedar Namlo in Itanagar. (Photo:PTI)

Itanagar, Sept 9: During the final day of his inaugural four-day tour of the Northeast, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan underscored the importance of Arunachal Pradesh in maintaining India's unity.

Speaking at a special session of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Itanagar, he referred to the state as a “proud guardian” of the nation’s borders, emphasizing that its development is closely tied to the overall progress of India.

Radhakrishnan praised Arunachal Pradesh for its rich cultural heritage and vast potential, while also noting the growing governmental focus on the Northeast region.

He remarked, “The Northeast has been increasingly prioritized by successive administrations,” recalling the establishment of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He further highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East policy and his characterization of the eight northeastern states as ‘Ashta-lakshmi’, showcasing the region's immense potential.

This year’s Union Budget allocated over Rs 6,800 crore to the DoNER Ministry, reflecting the central government’s ongoing commitment to the Northeast.

On the concluding day of the special assembly session, Chief Minister Khandu noted that the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) surged from approximately Rs 20,373 crore in 2016 to over Rs 50,651 crore.

He added that the state budget had increased by more than 238%, with per capita income more than doubling during this timeframe.

Highlighting Arunachal’s natural resources and economic advantages, the Vice-President pointed out that the state boasts around 79% forest cover and rich biodiversity, with its ecological resources being crucial for India’s environmental security and climate resilience.

In a separate development, the state Congress party protested on Wednesday against the refusal of an appointment with the Vice-President, claiming they were barred from presenting a memorandum addressing six critical issues, including frontier security and constitutional protections against large dam projects.

The party stated that they had requested an appointment through the chief secretary on September 4 but received no reply.

Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram described the denial as “deeply unfortunate” and questioned why the main opposition party was not allowed to voice the public's concerns to the Vice-President.

Among the requests in the proposed memorandum was the establishment of a dedicated Arunachal Regiment to enhance recruitment of local youth into the armed forces, especially from remote districts and villages.