IIT Guwahati Leads North East Region–Japan Collaboration with Letter of Intent Signing at Indo–Japan Symposium
Publish Date:10-03-2026
IIT Guwahati Leads North East Region–Japan Collaboration with Letter of Intent Signing at Indo–Japan Symposium
A total of 22 institutions from the NE region including 8 NITs, 2 IIITs, NERIST, AIIMS Guwahati, NERIWALM, Tezpur University, Gauhati University, Cotton University, Assam Engineering College, among others, signed this LoI to explore academic and research collaborations with Japanese institutions.
GUWAHATI, 10th March 2026: With an aim to strengthen North East India’s academic, research and industry collaboration with Japan, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati conducts the Japan-NER Academia-Industry Cooperation Symposium 2026 (JNTCS 2026) on 9th and 10th March 2026, jointly organised with Gifu University, Japan.
The two-day event provided a platform for academic, research and business organisations across the Northeast region to interact with their counterparts from Japan with a vision to come together to solve global problems such as food security, healthcare, environment, sustainable energy, and clean water. Additionally, the initiative paved the way for global exposure and education for students and researchers in the Northeast. This will include multilateral collaborations in numerous disciplines spanning across science, technology and medicine.
As Japan has designated Northeast India as a strategic priority since 2022 (MEXT Inter-University Exchange Project), this joint exercise will facilitate 5,000 students from Northeast Indian institutions visiting Japanese universities, and an equal number coming to India within the next five years.
Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati; Prof. Kazuhiro Yoshida, President, Gifu University; Dr Yashawant Dev Panwar, Counsellor S&T, Embassy of India, Tokyo; Dr Ravi Kota, IAS, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Assam; representatives from different Japanese organisations including JETRO, JST, JICA and JSPS, and members of academia and industry from the two countries attended the inaugural event.
Speaking during the inaugural event, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, “Today marks a new beginning, as institutions across states unite to form a unique consortium that brings together engineers, medical professionals, scientists, and policymakers—groups who rarely have the chance to interact. We believe such collaborations will accelerate the region’s growth and drive its industrial transformation.”
A key milestone of the symposium was the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) for participation in the North East Region–Japan International Academic and Research Consortium. This LoI will serve as a gateway for India's Act East Policy towards ASEAN and East Asia, and establish a platform for NE institutions to collaborate with Japanese institutions to explore academic and research partnerships. A total of 22 institutions from the NE region signed this LoI.
Under this collaboration, IIT Guwahati will be the nodal institution on the Indian side, and Gifu University will be the coordinating institution on the Japanese side.
Speaking during the event, Prof. Kazuhiro Yoshida, President, Gifu University, said, “The four pillars of an academic institution - education, research, technology transfer, and societal service - define our core commitments. I am confident that this consortium will help us advance each of these goals in a meaningful and collaborative way.”
Speaking about JNTCS 2026, Prof. Sumana Dutta, Dean, Alumni and External Relations, IIT Guwahati, said, “IIT Guwahati is proud to bring the Eight Sisters of the Northeast onto a shared platform, fostering a consortium that supports collective growth and cross-border collaboration. Through this effort, we hope to reinforce Indo-Japan partnerships and advance the vision of India’s Act East Policy.”
This launch of the Northeast India-Japan International Academic and Research Consortium opens up opportunities for global exposure and education for students and researchers in the Northeast.
