The proposed summit-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Guwahati next month are unlikely to take place, with the Japanese leader’s visit to India now expected to be restricted to New Delhi due to logistical constraints, according to sources.
Takaichi is scheduled to undertake her first official visit to India from July 1 to 3 as part of the annual India-Japan summit process. While Guwahati had earlier emerged as a possible venue for the high-level meeting, sources indicated that the programme is now likely to be held in the national capital.
The development comes weeks after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced the possibility of summit-level talks being hosted in Guwahati. The proposed plan had generated significant interest, as it would have marked the first instance of an India-Japan annual summit being held in the Northeast.
Sources said Takaichi’s domestic commitments in Japan have limited the time available for the India visit, making travel outside New Delhi difficult from a logistical standpoint. The revised arrangement is expected to streamline the schedule and allow both sides to focus on key bilateral engagements.
Earlier reports had suggested that the Japanese Prime Minister could visit Assam with a delegation of over 50 business leaders, including representatives from major companies such as Suzuki Motor, Toyota Tsusho and Itochu, highlighting growing Japanese interest in investment opportunities in the Northeast.
The summit is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, economic security, critical minerals, energy security and supply-chain resilience. Both sides are also likely to review progress in their long-term strategic partnership and discuss regional and global developments.
If finalised, this will be Takaichi’s first visit to India since assuming office as Japan’s Prime Minister. Japanese media had earlier indicated that the two leaders could meet in Assam as part of efforts to deepen engagement under India’s Act East policy and boost cooperation with the Northeast region.
The idea of hosting the summit in Guwahati had also carried symbolic significance, recalling that a planned visit by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Assam in 2019 was postponed amid protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
While no official confirmation has been made by either government regarding the final itinerary, indications suggest that the India-Japan summit is now likely to be held in New Delhi.
