Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, and Professor C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), addressed a bipartisan gathering of Members of the National Diet of Japan at the National Diet Building in Tokyo on 1 July, coinciding with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's official visit to India and the India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The interaction underscored how bilateral relationships are strengthened not only through government channels but also through parliaments, universities, and civil society.

A High-Profile Parliamentary Forum

The session was chaired by Fukushiro Nukaga, the 80th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, and brought together a distinguished, bipartisan cross-section of the National Diet, spanning both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Senior parliamentary leaders, former ministers, eminent diplomats, policy experts, and industry figures from across Japan were in attendance, reflecting the breadth of Tokyo's commitment to deepening institutional ties with India.

What Prof Raj Kumar Said

Prof Raj Kumar argued that Asia's evolving geopolitical landscape demonstrates that 'the strongest international partnerships are patiently built through sustained investments in education, research, technology, human capital, institutional cooperation, and innovation.' He called for Indian and Japanese universities to collaborate more closely, for researchers to jointly address global challenges, and for students to move more freely between the two countries.

Highlighting JGU's own footprint in Japan, he noted that the university has partnerships with 27 leading Japanese institutions and that nearly 200 students have participated in study-abroad programmes across Japan — a sustained institutional commitment, he said, to building long-term academic cooperation through student mobility, faculty collaboration, joint research, and intercultural understanding.

Tharoor on Parliamentary Diplomacy

Tharoor reflected on the equally vital role of parliamentary diplomacy, observing that 'diplomacy is not merely about negotiating interests or responding to crises.' At its finest, he said, it 'preserves memory, reflects mutual respect, and inspires nations to imagine and build a better future together.'

Drawing on the centuries-old civilisational bond between the two nations, Tharoor said: 'The friendship between the two countries has been nurtured through Buddhism, cultural exchange, democratic values, and deep civilisational respect. This shared history is not only a source of pride but also a responsibility. The challenge before both nations is not to create a new friendship but to continually renew and strengthen an enduring one through institutions capable of serving future generations. While governments create strategic partnerships, it is ultimately people who sustain them.'

Response from Japanese Parliamentarians

Members of the National Diet spoke warmly of their longstanding engagement with India, expressing admiration for India's civilisational heritage, democratic traditions, and expanding global role. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening parliamentary exchanges, educational partnerships, scientific research, and people-to-people ties between the two democracies.

Broader Significance

The Tokyo interaction came at a moment when India and Japan are engaging at the highest political level to shape their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Analysts note that such track-1.5 and track-2 engagements — involving universities, scholars, and parliamentarians alongside governments — provide the institutional depth that makes strategic partnerships resilient across changes in political leadership. As both governments look to the future of the Indo-Pacific, forums like this one are increasingly seen as foundational to durable bilateral cooperation.