Japan reaffirms commitment to Northeast India as gateway to Southeast Asia
Speaking in Shillong, Horii said Japan remains “firmly committed” to the region’s development and views it as a “powerful engine of growth” when integrated into a broader economic grid spanning Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia
Japan aims to help transform India's Northeast into a geopolitical gateway to Southeast Asia by strengthening connectivity to the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, Deputy Foreign Minister Horii Iwao said on Thursday.
Speaking in Shillong, Horii said Japan remains "firmly committed" to the region's development and views it as a "powerful engine of growth" when integrated into a broader economic grid spanning Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, says the Hindu.
The initiative forms part of Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy, under which Tokyo is working to establish an "Industrial Value Chain" linking India's Northeast to maritime routes. Officials say the objective is to promote holistic regional development by improving connectivity and supply chains.
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Under the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan is expanding cooperation with India beyond infrastructure projects to include private-sector collaboration in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, economic security and clean energy.
Horii also highlighted renewed efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between Japan and the Northeast, including social and cultural exchanges.
The push follows recent high-level diplomatic engagements. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, at the Group of 20 summit in South Africa in November 2025.
In January 2026, India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hosted Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for talks aimed at deepening the bilateral partnership.
