Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma with Japanese delegation at TATA semiconductor plant in Jagiroad
The three-day tour of a high-level Japanese delegation led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Nukaga Fukushiro, is a welcome development that can lead to enhanced bilateral collaborations between Assam and Japan. This has the potential to open up new vistas in diverse spheres such as trade and industry, education, infrastructure, tourism, etc. Assam is looking for foreign investments in multiple spheres and collaboration with Japan can definitely be a rewarding engagement for both.
Following the Advantage Assam summit, some FDIs are said to be in the offing and the State government should seize the initiative and build further on the interest evinced by investors from outside.
The latest visit by the Japanese delegation - the fourth such visit from Japan in the recent past - should be a catalyst in encouraging Japanese companies to look at Assam and other north-eastern States for bilateral collaboration. As potential areas for collaboration range from trade and industries to tourism and skill employment to health and education, we need to present a strong case for wooing investors from Japan. Collaborative efforts in emerging technologies, human resource development, and the pursuit of sustainable development can also be some specific areas in which Assam needs to engage with Japan.
We do not have a decent report card vis-Ã -vis sustainable development and here we can learn a lot from Japan in balancing development with sustainability. Being a leader in technology and innovation, which are today's buzzwords, a deeper cooperation with Japan in these realms through re- search, education, cultural exchange, and innovation-driven partnerships can be a game-changer for Assam.
The Indo-Japan bilateral relationship has evolved significantly over the past two decades, encompassing trade, in- vestment, strategic cooperation, and infrastructure development.
Yet, while ties are warm and promising in many areas, some critical areas, including hi-tech and defence, continue to be under-engaged. In recent times, India and Japan have been working on their bilateral defence ties, a partnership that is seen as a crucial strategic counterbalance. A new milestone in this relationship has been marked with the recent India- Japan agreement on the 'Unicorn Masts' technology, which would be the first case of co-production of defence equipment between India and Japan.
As for investments in Assam, we need a sustained flow of investment to create an ideal atmosphere for industry, entrepreneurship development and employment generation. Aside from engaging with prospective investors at the global level, we need a pragmatic investment policy to assure investors that Assam is an investor-friendly State. The Act East Policy, too, has failed to make much of an impact in highlighting the Northeast's latent potential vis-Ã - vis its prospects of multilateral interactions with neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.