Indias startup culture very strong, Japanese can learn from India: Former Japan FM Taro Kono

Speaking to ANI following his visit to Bengaluru and New Delhi, Kono said the visit provided an opportunity to explore areas where India and Japan can further expand cooperation.

Although our visit was very short, it was very exciting. We went to Bengaluru and New Delhi. We heard a lot of expectations from the Indian side towards Japan, and we also have a lot of expectations for future cooperation. So, this was a very good step forward towards a stronger bilateral relationship, Kono told ANI.

Highlighting Indias strength in the space sector, Kono said he was impressed by the countrys startup ecosystem.

In the space field, there are more than 500 startups. Thats amazing. I think Indias startup culture is very strong, and I think the Japanese startups could learn from India, he said.

Kono said India and Japan should encourage greater movement of startups between the two countries, with Indian companies exploring the Japanese market and Japanese startups looking to expand globally.

Hopefully, Indian startups could come to Japan in search of market as well as resources. And we would like to encourage Japanese startups to go global, including India, he said.

On the broader India-Japan partnership, Kono said cooperation should extend beyond foreign affairs and defence to areas including academia, employment, economy and Indo-Pacific security.

We would like to build on this strategic partnership, not only foreign affairs and defence. We talked about academia and employment as well, he said.

There are various fields in economy as well as security in the Indo-Pacific. I think India and Japan could work together and create a new international order, Kono added.

Kono also highlighted the potential for greater people-to-people exchanges, particularly involving young Indian talent.

Defence cooperation is taking a step forward, and we hear a lot of young Indian talent interested in coming to Japan. I think we need to encourage them not only to study in Japan, but work in Japan as well, he said.

Expanding on these diplomatic engagements, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a meeting with visiting Japanese Members of Parliament representing the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in New Delhi on Monday, where extensive discussions took place regarding political and economic matters of mutual concern.

The parliamentary delegation from Japan, headed by House of Representatives Member Taro Kono, arrived in the country under the Ministry of External Affairs Distinguished Visitors Programme. The visiting delegation also includes Japanese MPs Karen Makishima, Kenji Nakanishi and Sako Yamamoto, alongside Japanese Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi.

Detailing the interaction, the Indian Embassy in Japan quoted Misri as saying, "I am pleased to have had the opportunity today to exchange views with the members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) parliamentary delegation to India, led by House of Representatives member Taro Kono, who is currently visiting India as part of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Distinguished Visitors Programme. In the meeting, we exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues in the political and economic fields of interest to both India and Japan."

Highlighting the scope of bilateral ties, the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X that the visit began in Bengaluru, where the lawmakers toured the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

The embassy further noted on X that cooperation in AI, technology, space, defence, and startups forms an essential pillar of the special strategic global partnership. The initiative is designed to brief members of parliament on India's latest developments, offering firsthand experience and direct interaction with key stakeholders. (ANI)