Tokyo: The first edition of ‘Rising India, ie, Bharat’ was held in Tokyo, bringing together leaders from India and Japan to explore new ways of working together in diplomacy, business, technology, and culture. The event was organized by Connect India Japan with support from the Indian Embassy in Tokyo and the Japan-India Association. It marked one of the first major India-focused conclaves in Japan led entirely by an Indian woman, Nupur Tewari, the founder of Connect India Japan.
In his opening address, India’s Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, highlighted India’s strong stand against terrorism and stressed the importance of unity and resilience to maintain peace. He also spoke about India’s recent economic reforms and its vision for ‘Amrit Kaal’, a term used for India’s journey towards a bright and self-reliant future. He emphasized the deepening bond between India and Japan through the Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
The event began with a moment of silence to honor the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Ambassador George firmly condemned the attack and repeated India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.
Former Japanese minister Taro Kono, who has served as Japan’s Foreign, Defence, and Digital Affairs Minister, delivered the keynote speech. He praised India’s rapid growth as the fourth-largest economy in the world and shared his personal admiration for the country’s progress and vision.
Another key speaker, Tomohiko Taniguchi, a former advisor to late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, gave an emotional speech about Abe’s deep respect for India. He recalled Abe’s efforts to build a strong, lasting relationship between the two nations.
Throughout the day, panel discussions focused on India’s growing global role and how India and Japan can collaborate more closely. The importance of trust, diplomacy, and mutual respect was discussed as key pillars of this strong partnership.
From a business point of view, several Indian companies from sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure, sustainability, and smart manufacturing gave live presentations and demonstrations. These next-generation businesses impressed Japanese attendees, many of whom showed interest in future collaborations.
The conclave also used cultural diplomacy to build closer ties, showing how India and Japan can grow together not just economically, but through shared values and traditions.
