Japan-India Relations

On behalf of the Government of Japan, State Minister Horii delivered remarks at the Special Session and extended his congratulations on the convening of the Sixth India Japan Intellectual Conclave. He welcomed the fact that the Conclave has deepened in substance, expanded in participation, and yielded tangible outcomes in terms of Japan’s concrete cooperation in Northeast India with each successive meeting.

State Minister Horii further stated that Japan continues to place importance on the development of Northeast India, as confirmed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan in August last year and at the Japan–India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in January this year. He outlined three specific commitments: (1) as part of Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” initiative, to work toward realizing the “Industrial Value Chain” concept connecting the Bay of Bengal and Northeast India; (2) to provide government support for private-sector cooperation in the fields of economic security, including semiconductors and clean energy; and (3) to promote people-to-people exchanges between Northeast India and Japan.

State Minister Horii also noted that this Conclave is being held in a timely manner, as the general election in Bangladesh was held recently, and stated that this year’s Conclave has carried added significance.

[Reference 1] India Japan Intellectual Conclave
The India Japan Intellectual Conclave is a conference hosted by an Indian think tank as part of cooperation under the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” vision. It provides a forum for discussions on industrial development of the Bay of Bengal and Northeast India, and serves as an opportunity for intellectual exchange between public and private sectors. Participants include Members of Parliament from Northeast India as well as government officials and private-sector representatives from Japan and India.

[Reference 2] Attachment
Full text of State Minister Horii’s speech (Japanese (PDF) / English (PDF))

On February 27, State Minister Horii held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, India. State Minister Horii stated that Northeast India, including the State of Meghalaya, is situated at a strategic focal point connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia, and possesses significant potential for development. He emphasized that strengthening regional connectivity is crucial to unlock this potential. State Minister Horii further explained that Japan will work to advance initiatives that contribute to the enhancement of connectivity in the region through close cooperation between the public and private sectors.

On February 27, State Minister Horii held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, India. During the meeting, he exchanged views on initiatives for infrastructure development aimed at strengthening connectivity in Northeast India, including the State of Assam, as well as on the construction of a semiconductor plant currently underway in Assam.

On February 28, State Minister Horii visited the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, which is producing India’s top science and engineering talents. He exchanged views with university officials and toured facilities, including the research park which provides the university’s specialized resources to private companies and promotes industry–academia collaboration.

In addition, State Minister Horii held discussions with representatives of Japanese companies operating in India and exchanged views on business environment in India. He also met with Indian experts to discuss the evolving international situation and the strategic significance of Japan–India relations.