Japan's Vision for Northeast India: Strengthening Ties and Cooperation
Northeast India: A Strategic Link in Indo-Pacific Relations
File image of Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi and PM Modi(Photo: @JapanAmbIndia/X)
GUWAHATI, July 2: Northeast India plays a crucial role in Japan’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, acting as a vital link between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
According to sources from the Ministry of External Affairs, during the Kizuna Conclave in Shillong in February 2026, Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iwao Horii, emphasized that Northeast India embodies the practical application of India’s ‘Act East’ policy, championed by Prime Minister Modi, alongside Japan’s vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
At the 18th Japan–India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in January 2026, both External Affairs Minister and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi agreed on enhancing collaboration, particularly through intellectual exchanges aimed at improving connectivity in Northeast India and its neighboring regions, facilitated by the Japan–India Act East Forum. This deepening partnership has resulted in increased high-level visits, expanded sub-national collaborations, and a stronger focus on sustainable development and regional integration in the Northeast.
Since 2025, numerous high-level visits between Northeast India and Japan have occurred. In February 2026, Iwao Horii visited the region, meeting with the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Assam, participating in the India–Japan Intellectual Conclave, and touring IIT Guwahati.
In May 2025, Fukushiro Nukaga, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, visited Assam, where he met with the Chief Minister and Governor, and toured IIT Guwahati and the Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Facility.
A delegation from Kagawa Prefecture, led by Vice Governor Oyama Satoshi, visited New Delhi and Manipur in December 2025, engaging with various government officials, including the Chief Secretary, to explore collaboration in nursing care and hospitality sectors.
The Chief Minister of Meghalaya traveled to Japan in April 2026, where an MoU was signed to facilitate skill training and employment for 5,000 youths from the state over five years.
In October 2025, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh visited Japan, discussing the establishment of a cherry blossom avenue in Arunachal Pradesh and potential sister-city agreements between Nagano and Tawang, Kanazawa and Ziro, and Kobe and Itanagar.
The Chief Minister of Assam also visited Japan in January 2025, resulting in an MoU for training 20,000 youths over five years between Assam and ASEAN.
In July 2025, the Chief Minister of Nagaland visited Japan, signing an MoU with Kochi Prefecture and Japan’s ARMS to promote resource exchange, capacity building, and agricultural technology transfer. Nagaland also showcased its participation in the World Expo in Osaka and explored opportunities within the Japanese anime industry to boost its creative economy.
Sources indicate that India and Japan have established several dedicated platforms to foster cooperation and development in the Northeast.
The India–Japan Act East Forum, created in December 2017, serves as a collaborative platform under India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s “Vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” This forum identifies specific projects aimed at the economic modernization of Northeast India, focusing on connectivity, infrastructure development, industrial linkages, and enhancing people-to-people interactions. The most recent meeting of the India–Japan Act East Forum took place on February 19, 2024, in New Delhi.
The Kizuna India–Japan Intellectual Conclave, initiated in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in India and the Ministry of External Affairs, was launched in 2021 to promote India–Japan collaboration in Northeast India. The 2026 edition, held in Shillong, featured 31 Japanese participants, including representatives from Toyota Tsusho Nexty Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. and Nippon Steel Engineering India Ltd., alongside 26 Indian companies, such as Tata Electronics Pvt. Ltd. and NSDC.