The North-Eastern region could become an economic bridge-head for trade with South-East Asian countries by using its locational advantage, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said on Tuesday. "India is working actively to promote regional and sub-regional trade and economic promotion. Our North-Eastern states can become our economic bridgehead to South-East Asia," Mr Vajpayee said at the second North-East Business Summit, organised by the Department of N-E Region and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). But the states have to take initiative to take advantage of the possibility of trade with South-East Asian markets such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand, Mr Vajpayee said.