On May 10, H.E. Mr. Sanjay Kumar Verma, Ambassador of India to Japan, gave a special lecture on the 75th anniversary of India’s independence and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan at the International Conference Hall in Building No.2.

In opening remarks, President Yoshiaki Terumichi and Chancellor Fr. Tsutomu Sakuma, S.J. extended their congratulations and welcome to the Ambassador. In addition, prior to the lecture, Professor Hisanaga Amikura, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, gave a brief explanation of the major economic cooperation that has taken place between the two countries.

Ambassador Verma, who has long been involved in diplomatic activities not only in Japan but also in Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world, opened his lecture by emphasizing the revitalization of the youth mindset as the path to the strongest democracy. He then thanked Japan for its economic and technological support, which has been indispensable in India’s post-independence economic development path and mentioned success stories of Japanese companies that decided to enter the Indian market despite the risks involved.

He also discussed the current state of the Indian economy, noting that despite the Corona crisis, GDP grew by more than 8% during this period, supported by the government’s investment of capital, and that the country’s startup companies are making dramatic international strides, along with the rapid social advancement of Indian women. He also explained that approximately 50% of the IT workers in India are women, and that India has the world’s highest STEM matriculation rate among women.

Regarding diplomatic relations between the two countries, he also touched on the recent achievement of the Japan-India summit meeting, stating that diplomatic relations in the world have shifted to a strategic partnership to pursue the common good, and stressed the importance of Japan-India cooperation in innovation, creativity, and production.

Following a question-and-answer session, a student presented Ambassador Verma with a bouquet of flowers, bringing the lecture to a close. The Ambassador also enjoyed chatting with students from India after his lecture. It was a rare opportunity to learn firsthand about the Japan-India relationship from both economic and historical perspectives from a specialist in diplomacy who has worked extensively around the world.