Gangtok/New Delhi: Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India, has said that people-to-people connect can be strengthened between Japan and Sikkim through inter-parliamentary exchanges between Japanese and Indian parliamentarians in collaboration with the FICCI.

Addressing the ‘6th Dialogue with States: Connecting Japan with Sikkim’ on Friday organized by FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, jointly with the Embassy of Japan, Suzuki expressed that Sikkim is located at a strategically important juncture and is full of potential, not only for domestic development, but also for the stability and prosperity of a wider region from a geopolitical perspective.

Highlighting India- Japan partnership, His Excellency mentioned that India and Japan continue to collaborate through the Act East Forum (AEF) for sustainable social and economic development of the region. Both countries are focused on enhancing connectivity in the region.

They have various initiatives like ‘Japan-India Initiative for Sustainable Development of the North- Eastern Region of India (SDINE)’; ‘Initiative for Strengthening the Bamboo Value Chain in the North- East’ and cooperation in areas as agriculture and food processing, health, care and sanitation, forest management, connectivity improvement, disaster prevention and mitigation and tourism.

SC Gupta, Chief Secretary, Sikkim, noted that India and Japan share good economic, political, and social relations which are further strengthened by engagements like FICCI’s Dialogue with states. He also noted that Sikkim and Japan can collaborate in infrastructure development, connectivity, skill development and investments can be expanded in food processing, organic agriculture, value chain development, bamboo processing.

Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Member of Parliament and Chair, FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, stated that Japan holds an important place for India both historically and culturally. He mentioned that there is immense potential between Sikkim and Japan especially in sectors like tourism, power, agriculture and infrastructure.

Dr Jyotsna Suri, Co-Chair, FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, CMD, Bharat Hotels Ltd and Past President, FICCI, talked about the importance of the Dialogue with States initiative as a track II discussion to strengthen the state connect with India's key strategic partners. Harshavardhan Neotia, Co- Chair, FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, CMD, Ambuja Neotia and Past President, FICCI, concluded the session.

India and Japan share strong cultural and civilizational ties and have engaged in various institutional dialogue mechanisms to strengthen bilateral as well strategic partnership. The bilateral relation between the two countries, which has deepened further under the leadership of PM Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set an example for the international community. /BI/