Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday inaugurated the Digital Design and 3D Printing Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, saying the facility will strengthen the state's manufacturing ecosystem by promoting innovation, rapid prototyping and indigenous product development across multiple sectors.
Announcing the inauguration in a post on X, the Chief Minister said the Centre of Excellence would bring advanced digital design, additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping capabilities to Assam, providing industries and entrepreneurs access to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
According to Sarma, the facility has been designed to support innovation in sectors such as healthcare, aerospace, energy, agriculture and other emerging industries by enabling faster product design, testing and development. The Chief Minister said the Centre would play a key role in accelerating new product development and enhancing the competitiveness of Assam's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
He added that local entrepreneurs and startups would be able to develop innovative products within the state, reducing dependence on imported technologies and components. "This will also accelerate new product development and encourage our MSMEs to build solutions right here in Assam, India, acting as a very potent import substitution tool," Sarma said.
The Chief Minister has repeatedly emphasised the importance of technology-driven industrial growth as the state seeks to attract investments under its broader vision of transforming Assam into a manufacturing and innovation hub in the Northeast. The establishment of the Digital Design and 3D Printing Centre of Excellence is expected to provide access to advanced design software, additive manufacturing technologies and rapid prototyping facilities, enabling researchers, students, startups and industries to convert ideas into commercially viable products with shorter development cycles.
The initiative is also in line with the state government's efforts to promote innovation-led entrepreneurship, strengthen the MSME sector and create an ecosystem that supports high-value manufacturing. A senior official argued that the facility will help bridge the gap between research and industry while encouraging the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, contributing to Assam's industrial diversification and supporting the country's broader goal of enhancing self-reliance through domestic manufacturing.