Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will embark on his maiden foreign tour on Saturday to Singapore where he will not only address the Asean India Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) on Sunday but also use the trip to hardsell the February 3-4 Global Investors' Summit to be held here.

"This is not only his first foreign trip after assuming charge as the chief minister (in May 2014), but also a tour made on the invitation of the ministry of external affairs, which was requested by the Singapore High Commission, to send two chief ministers to the two-day event," said Kuldip Gayan, officer on special duty (IT) to the chief minister. The other chief minister is Chandrababu Naidu of Andhra Pradesh.

While Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari will address the gathering on Saturday, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj will deliver a speech on Sunday.

Additional chief secretary Ravi Capoor, who is part of the core group of senior officials looking after preparations for the successful hosting of the investors' meet, Sanjay Lohiya, principal secretary to the chief minister, and Mukul Lahkar of the chief minister's office, will be accompanying Sonowal, along with Gayan, on the two-day trip.

The chief minister will be addressing a roadshow in Chennai on January 8 after his return from Singapore.

Sonowal will deliver a speech on North East India as Asean's gateway to India at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which is observed every year to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Centre, reconnect them with their roots and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

Sonowal will also participate in a presentation to be made on the investors' meet by Capoor. Later, he will interact with Assamese diaspora in Singapore.

Dispur has taken all possible steps to make the summit a success in terms of participation and investment, said Hrishikesh Goswami, press adviser to the chief minister.

Sonowal has already held roadshows on the investors meet in New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai and Bangalore while his ministerial colleagues - Chandramohan Patowary, Keshab Mahanta (Toronto, San Fransisco, London, New York), Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rihon Daimary (Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo, Parimal Suklabaidya (Bangladesh), Pallab Lochan Das (Bhutan), Pramila Brahma (Cambodia and Brunei)and Ranjit Dutta (Vietam and Laos) - have addressed similar events abroad.