Asian Confluence

Fifth India-Japan Intellectual Conclave

Date: Thu Feb 06, 2025 - Fri Feb 07, 2025 , Contact: comms@asianconfluence.org
Location: Guwahati , Hosts: Asian Confluence

Asian Confluence is proud to announce its fifth edition of India-Japan Intellectucal Conclave, scheduled to be held in Guwhati, Assam on 06 & 07th February, 2025

India and Japan besides being two civilizational partners, enjoy the deepest level of mutual trust in the world of today. In the Third Japan-India 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting held in August 2024, “the Ministers highlighted their common strategic vision towards a free and open Indo-Pacific, that is inclusive, peaceful, prosperous and resilient”, as part of the rules-based international order. The North East region of India is a region where Japan’s Free and Open Indo Pacific and India’s “Act East” and “Neighbourhood First” policies meet. Japan and India have a high level of collaboration in the development of the North eastern states of India.

While the North-eastern states are as such landlocked, the region along with neighbours Bangladesh, Myanmar Bhutan and Nepal put together is a natural and unique “mountain to sea” contiguous landscape. The fourth dialogue highlighted how a connected Bay of Bengal is a key component of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. Such a connectivity would be a concrete convergence of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and Japan’s Free and Open Indo Pacific (FOIP) and BIG-B Initiative. It could also be a concrete milestone progress in BIMSTEC regional connectivity and be in total harmony with India's “Act East” and “Neighbourhood First” policies. BIMSTEC and the SASEC region have overlap and seeking complementary can yield results for the greater good of the region. India Japan collaboration in promoting further cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region would be a key component moving forward. Many connectivity enhancement projects that can be game changers in the BBIN region are underway. The Gelephu Mindful City in Bhutan bordering Assam, the Matarbari Deep Sea project in Bangladesh and the semiconductor OSAT facility in Assam are some such. JICA is currently conducting a cross border logistics improvement study on the BBIN region. Planning for the creation of industrial value chains on upcoming connectivity corridors is the need of the hour. Increasing the level of familiarity amongst business community with the business prospects of the region and finding ways to increase business confidence in the region was further discussed in the fourth edition of “Kizuna”.

Asian Confluence in collaboration with Embassy of Japan in India and Ministry of External Affairs, India (MEA), has been organizing the North East India - Japan Intellectual Conclave since 2021. Named “Kizuna” meaning “deep heart to heart communication”, the objective of the initiative has been to put the spotlight on collaboration projects between India and Japan in North East India: highlighting achievements, scoping opportunities, and addressing challenges. Since its inception, the conclave has focused on promoting tangible collaborative projects between India and Japan, particularly in Northeast India and the Bay of Bengal region. These initiatives range from transformative projects with geopolitical significance to people-centric ideas and initiatives. The conclave highlights achievements, identifies opportunities, and addresses regional challenges. Garnering inputs from industry, academia and policymaker in India, Japan as well as the immediate neighbourhood, the conclaves held so far has been able to collate a rich set of recommendations. The aim of process has been to continually create a community of champions on the ground spanning industry, government and academia as well as nurture new ideas for the future.

All the past four conclaves have had senior level participation (Foreign Secretary, Minister level) from Ministry of External Affairs, the Ambassador of Japan, Japanese and Indian industry and the state governments as well as representatives from Bhutan and Bangladesh. The conclave has been hosted in strategically significant cities in Northeast India, including Agartala, Tripura, and Shillong, Meghalaya. The fifth edition is taking place in Guwahati, Assam. Building on the outcomes of the previous conclaves and in light of recent developments in the Bay of Bengal neighborhood, this edition will focus on the theme of “Co-Creating Ecosystems for Change,” with a special emphasis on technology, education, and logistics as pillars for a more stable and prosperous Bay of Bengal region.

In this context three areas of cooperation are identified:

1) Semi-conductor and Hi Tech: In light of the recent move by the TATA group to set up a semiconductor assembly and testing plant in Jagiroad, Assam, there is enormous potential for an ecosystem of services around the semiconductor assembly and design industry. Japanese and Indian industry can collaborate to build such an ecosystem which taps into the strengths of the region. The role of upstream and downstream vendors and suppliers needed for such a project will give a fillip to attracting businesses to Assam and adjoining Meghalaya.

2) Education and People to People contact: Increasing people to people contact and institutional collaborations between various segments of population between India and Japan by curating special programs and exchanges among small business owners, youth, cultural groups, special history interest groups, tourism operators, startup companies can go a long way towards increasing familiarity of the region amongst the Japanese. The need of the hour is to create an infrastructure of human networks to support SMEs in Japan to interact with the region. The experience of graduates of the programs such as TITP (ESD) /SSW, JENSYS and JET program should be complemented with on ground institutions to foster such a network. Since the last conclave held in Shillong, Meghalaya has already sent a large contingent of youth for nursing jobs in Japan. The development of a care economy is also in process. Overall a new strategy is needed to address the task of people to people contact between India and Japan and specially the NER region and the neighbouring countries to take a quantum leap.

3) LogisticsThe logistics sector is another important area which can be built as part of an ecosystem of change. With seamless air and rail connectivity from the region in place, there is ample scope for large and medium logistics companies in India and Japan to tie up with small and medium scale entrepreneurs from the region to create a logistics ecosystem. The rapid pace of infrastructure development in Guwahati including the new upcoming Guwahati Airport International terminal, the multimodal hub in Jogigopa, the Gelephu Mindfulness City project in Bhutan, the Phulbari Dhubri Bridge, the Tamabil ICP in Meghalaya connecting onward to Bangladesh and the Matarbari DSP project in Bangladesh can be further game changers.

AGENDA: Day 1: 6^th Feb

16:00 – 16:45	Registration and Welcome (Please be seated by 16:45)
16:45 -16:50	Welcome and Setting Context; Asian Confluence
16:50 -17:50	*Reviewing the State of Connectivity: The first session of the conclave aims to provide an in-depth review of ongoing and planned initiatives to enhance connectivity in the region. With a focus on infrastructure development and its multifaceted impact. Participants will share insights from their areas of experience and provide recommendations for advancing connectivity agendas effectively. Chair:* Amb. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Former Amb. to Japan, Member Governing Council, Asian Confluence Panel Presentations by: · Mr. Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India · Dr. Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam · Mr. Yuji Ando, Country Representative, JETRO Bangladesh · Prof. Prabir De, Professor, RIS, New Delhi · Prof. Kenmei Tsubota, Professor, Toyo University
17:50 -18:00	Break
18:00 -19:15	Inaugural Session: *The Bigger Picture and the Ground: Connecting the dots and creating ecosystems of Change* Introductions: Mr. Sabyasachi Dutta, Executive Director, Asian Confluence Welcome: Mr. M.P. Bezbaruah, Chairman, Governing Council, Asian Confluence Opening Address: H.E. Amb. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to India and the Kingdom of Bhutan Special Address: Amb. Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General, BIMSTEC (virtual) Keynote Address: Shri. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs Inaugural Address: Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam Vote of Thanks: Asian Confluence
19:15 -19:30	BREAK
19:30 -20:45	Hi-Level Panel 1: India-Japan: Co-Creating Industrial Value Chain—Opportunities and Challenges in the Bay of Bengal and Eastern South Asian Region, Eco-Systems around Logistics Industry This session aims to explore the collaborative potential of India and Japan in building a resilient industrial value chain in the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern South Asian region, with a particular focus on the logistics industry. Liking projects like the Matarbari Deep Sea port in Bangladesh, the Gelephu Mindfulness city in Bhutan and the ongoing fast paced developments in Assam and Meghalaya holds enormous potential for inclusive economic growth. The discussion will cover: Opportunities in bilateral and multilateral cooperation, challenges in the region, logistics and policy alignment Participants will share insights on regional dynamics, innovative practices, and strategies to leverage India-Japan cooperation for creating a robust and sustainable industrial value chain in the region. Chair: Amb. Rajiv Bhatia, Former Amb. to Myanmar, Member Governing Council, Asian Confluence Panel Presentation by: · Mr. Takahashi Naoki, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, Bangladesh · Amb. Tariq Ahmad Karim, President, Bay of Bengal Institute, and Adviser Emeritus, Cosmos Foundation, Bangladesh (virtual) · H.E Mr. Jigme Thinlye Namgyal, Consul General, Royal Bhutanese Consulate General, Guwahati · Mr. Bernard Ng Thiam Hee, Regional Head, ADB · Mr. Prashant Chandran, Director, BIMSTEC · Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama, former Country Director, ADB India, Distinguished Fellow, Asian Confluence · Dr. Umezaki So, Director, Economic Integration Studies Group, Development Studies Center, IDE JETRO Moderated Discussion over interventions from other invited discussants.
20:45 -22:00	DINNER

AGENDA: Day 2: 7th Feb

9:00 – 9:45	Presentations by key companies on their recent activities in the skill development and energy sector This session will feature presentations by prominent companies to highlight their recent contributions to the skill development and energy sector. The objective is to showcase innovative initiatives, successful case studies, and impactful programs that address skill gaps and empower the workforce and community. Chair: Mr. Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General, JETRO India · Mr. Nagatoshi Shibata, Director, ARMS · Mr. Ajay Kumar Sahani, General Manager, North East region, NAVIS HR · Mr. Rajeev Gupta, Founder, Youth4Japan by JACEEX Ventures · Special Presentation: Ms. Krishna Hazarika Rao, DGM(PR), Oil India Limited Moderated Discussion over interventions from other invited discussants from Japanese and Indian Industry.
9:45 – 10:00	Business Sessions “Kick Off” Address Mr. Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General, JETRO India
10:00 – 10:15	BREAK
10:15 - 11:45	Business Session 1: *Eco-Systems around the Semiconductor and Hi-tech Industry* This session will focus on the development and strengthening of ecosystems surrounding the semiconductor and hi-tech industry, the upcoming TATA OSAT project as a critical pillar for creating an ecosystem around the technology and Hi-tech sectors. The discussion will cover: upstream and downstream supply chain issues, logistics requirements and skilled manpower, and industry perspectives on policy requirements for Japanese and Indian businesses to engage in the region, required soft and hard infrastructure Chair: Mr. Ajay Sethi, Managing Partner, ASA Associates, Member Governing Council, Asian Confluence Special Tone Setting: · Mr. Toshihiko Kurihara, Chief Representative, JBIC · Ms. Krishangee Gauree, Subject Matter Expert Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd. · Mr. Vaidya Bharadwaj, Senior Director, Tokyo Electron Ltd. Moderated Discussion over interventions from other invited discussants from Japanese and Indian Industry.
11:45-12:00	BREAK
12:00-13:30	Business Session 2: *Eco-Systems around the Education Sector* This session will delve into the evolving ecosystems surrounding the education sector, emphasizing innovation, inclusivity, and alignment with future workforce needs. The discussion will address: Collaboration Across Stakeholders, Skill Development and Industry Integration, Challenges, and Policy Frameworks. Chair: Prof. Mahendra Lama, Distinguished Fellow, Asian Confluence Special Tone Setting Panel: · Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati · Prof. Ashok Kumar Chawla, Advisor (Japan), MEA · Dr. Kotaro Kataoka, Professor, IIT Hyderabad Moderated Discussion over interventions from other invited discussants from Japanese and Indian industry, policymakers, and academia
13:30- 14:45	LUNCH
14:45 - 16:00	Special Session: Please be seated in Hall by 14:35 Chair: Amb. Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Former Amb. to Japan, Member Governing Council, Asian Confluence Brief wrap up of Business Sessions: Asian Confluence Valedictory Address: Shri. Conrad Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya In the presence of: · H.E. Amb. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to India and the Kingdom of Bhutan · Ms. Miki Yamada, Former State Minister of Environment, Former Member of the House of Representatives. · Mr. Itsu Adachi, Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation Vote of Thanks: SPF
16:00 – 17:00	High-Level Panel 2 *Bridging People and Technology to Create a Sustainable Ecosystem:* Politicians and policymakers from NER and Japan will share their insights and innovative ideas on how to leverage human resources and technology to harness the rich natural environment of NER and achieve sustainable development in partnership. Chair: Mr. Itsu Adachi, Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation · Ms. Miki Yamada, Former State Minister of Environment, Former member of the House of Representatives, Japan · Mr. Tapir Gao, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Arunachal East · Shri Vincent Pala, Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Shillong · Dr. Rajdeep Roy, Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Silchar
17:00 – 17:15	· Wrap Up: · Closing Address: Shri M.P. Bezbaruah, Chairman GC Asian Confluence
17:15 -17:45	Networking Tea