Guwahati: Regional development and international strategy took center stage in Guwahati on Friday (December 20, 2025) as experts gathered in Guwahati for a high-level symposium focused on Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy and its impact on Northeast India.
The event titled, “Japan’s Policy of Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and Connecting Northeast India: Searching the Policies of Development” brought together scholars, policy experts and academics to discuss regional connectivity and development.
The one-day symposium took place at Rohika Guest House in Guwahati, which was organised under a Japan Foundation–funded research project and hosted by Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) in association with the National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam (NLUJAA), and the Pan-Asia Research Institute (PARI), Tokyo.
The programme began with a welcome address by Debasish Nandy, Convener of the symposium and Project Director. He explained the objectives of the event and highlighted the increasing strategic and developmental importance of Northeast India within Japan’s FOIP framework.
Opening remarks were delivered by Professor Debasis Poddar, Joint Convener of the symposium, who stressed the need for interdisciplinary academic engagement to better understand regional development, connectivity policies and geopolitical cooperation. The formal inauguration included the lighting of the lamp and felicitation of the invited dignitaries.
A special address was delivered by Koji Sato, Director General of the Japan Foundation, New Delhi. He shared his experience with the Japan Foundation and spoke about Japan’s vision behind the Free and Open Indo-Pacific policy, with a special focus on long-term engagement with India and the Northeastern region.
The symposium was also attended by distinguished academic leaders. Professor K.V.S. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of NLUJAA, spoke on the role of academic institutions in policy-oriented research.
Professor Uday Bandyopadhyay, Vice-Chancellor of Kazi Nazrul University, underlined the importance of regional universities in promoting international academic collaboration. Dr. Sajal Kumar Bhattacharya, Dean, Faculty of Arts, KNU, also addressed the gathering.
The symposium continued with three business sessions that brought together scholars, policy experts and civil society representatives from different parts of the country. The first session was chaired by Professor Srabani Roy Choudhury from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The second and third sessions focused on issues such as regional connectivity, development policies, strategic cooperation, public policy challenges and grassroots perspectives from Northeast India.
A book release ceremony was also held during the symposium, marking an important academic outcome of the research project. The book was edited by Dr. Debasish Nandy of Kazi Nazrul University, Dr. Debasish Poddar of NLUJAA, and Dr. Abdullah Al-Mamoon, Executive Director of the Pan-Asia Research Institute, Tokyo.
The symposium provided an important platform for dialogue on Japan–India cooperation, with special emphasis on the role of Northeast India in the broader Indo-Pacific vision.