Guwahati, July 17 -- Assam has emerged as the Northeast's highest-ranked state in the inaugural Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) released by NITI Aayog, securing a place among the country's 'Frontrunners' and finishing 14th nationally.

With an overall score of 47.3, Assam ranked second among the hilly and northeastern states, behind Uttarakhand (47.5). Tripura followed with 45.0, while Meghalaya (43.0) and Nagaland (41.2) were classified as Emerging Performers. Mizoram (39.9), Arunachal Pradesh (37.5), Sikkim (36.6), and Manipur (32.3) were placed in the Aspiring States category.

The index, introduced by NITI Aayog, assesses how effectively states create an enabling environment for investment through policy, regulation, institutional...