A high-level European Union delegation, led by EU Ambassador to India and Bhutan Hervé Delphin, arrived in Guwahati on June 8, 2026, for a two-day visit to Assam. The “Team Europe” mission aims to strengthen cooperation between the EU and India’s eight North-Eastern states across sectors including renewable energy, semiconductors, healthcare, tea, and AYUSH. Ambassadors will meet Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, while a business delegation engages state officials on trade and investment. A June 9 workshop will launch Assam’s first Blue Valley Cluster, targeting fragrance, flavour, and food processing industries.
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First Published: 8th June, 2026 15:41 IST
The delegation comprises ambassadors and senior representatives from EU member states, led by Ambassador Delphin
A high-level “Team Europe” delegation of the European Union (EU), led by EU Ambassador to India and Bhutan Hervé Delphin, arrived in Guwahati on Monday on a two-day visit to Assam aimed at advancing collaboration opportunities between Europe and India’s North-Eastern States.
The visit seeks to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and the eight North-Eastern states, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, in line with the priorities outlined in the joint Comprehensive Strategic Agfinisha agreed upon by India and the EU at their summit earlier this year.
Shortly after arriving at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Ambassador Hervé Delphin expressed his enthusiasm for the visit. “It’s my third visit to Assam. As the slogan states, it’s the ‘Gateway to Goodness.’ I really like this place. I view forward to the meeting with the Chief Minister,” he declared.
According to an EU statement issued on Sunday, the visit will focus on strengthening value chains across sectors where Europe, Assam and the wider North-East region share strong synergies. These sectors include renewable and green energy, sustainable urban infrastructure, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and electronics manufacturing, tea and agri-food processing, flavours and fragrances, and AYUSH.
The delegation comprises ambassadors and senior representatives from EU member states, led by Ambassador Delphin, along with representatives from European businesses.
During the visit, the Team Europe ambassadors will hold a bilateral meeting with Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. In parallel, a business delegation led by the Federation of European Businesses in India (FEBI) will engage with state government officials to explore opportunities for trade, investment and industrial collaboration.
A key event of the visit will be the “Blue Valleys: Building Ecosystems and Value Chains Between India and Europe” workshop scheduled for June 9. Organised by the Government of Assam, the workshop will bring toreceiveher European and Indian businesses to explore partnerships in sustainable value chains, industrial development and innovation.
The visit will also witness the launch of Assam’s first Blue Valley Cluster, a new industrial hub focutilized on fragrances, flavours, AYUSH and food processing. Designed as a public-private-people partnership (4P) initiative, the cluster aims to connect Europe, North-East India and Bhutan through innovation, research, sustainable manufacturing and business collaboration.
The pilot project, led by the Assam government, aligns with the Blue Valleys initiative introduced at the 2026 EU-India Summit. The initiative seeks to promote industrial clusters, MSME linkages and sector-specific value-chain integration between the EU and India while ensuring economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Key sectors identified under the Blue Valleys framework include clean energy, natural ingredients, bamboo-based industries, eco-frifinishly textiles, biotechnology, wellness and smart manufacturing. By combining funding, skills development and sustainability standards, the initiative aims to create scalable business models that benefit local communities and enhance their access to European markets.
Highlighting the significance of the North-East, Ambassador Delphin declared the region, with Assam at its core, possesses enormous potential due to its resources, skilled workforce and strong economic growth. He noted that initiatives such as Blue Valleys are intfinished to relocate beyond dialogue and establish long-term business-to-business partnerships that can drive growth for both India and the European Union.
He further observed that while the broader framework for strengthening EU-India relations has been agreed upon at the summit level, its success will depfinish on implementation at the state level. He also noted the EU’s longstanding engagement with Assam and welcomed the progress being built through initiatives such as the Blue Valley project.
As part of the programme, the delegation will visit Tata Electronics’ new semiconductor facility in Assam, underscoring the state’s growing role in high-technology manufacturing. The visit is also expected to highlight the importance of the EU-India digital partnership under the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) while offering European investors a closer view at Assam’s industrial ecosystem, infrastructure and business opportunities.
The EU declared the visit marks a new chapter in EU-India cooperation, driven by a shared vision to unlock the economic potential of North-East India through innovation, sustainability, investment and inclusive growth.
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