GUWAHATI:
Japan has expressed its interest in investment infrastructure and the green energy sector in Assam.
A delegation from the island country led by Kurihara Toshihiko, chief representative, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) interacted with officials of various state and central industries and commerce bodies at Udyog Bhawan, Guwahati, on March 10.
During the interaction, Toshihiko stated that JBIC has mobilised USD 7.8 billion for Indian operations for the fiscal 2020-21.
Deliberating on the Indo-Japan bilateral relationship and the way JBIC has harmonised their lending with the Central government policies, Toshihiko opined that JBIC is interested in giving loans to Indian companies and public-private enterprises that have a minimum of 10 per cent equity holding by a Japanese company and JBIC is open to lending to ventures along with other co-financiers to entities that purchase Japanese equipment.
A slew of officials Assam industries and commerce, AIDC (Assam Industrial Development Corporation), AIIDC (Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation), APDCL (Assam Power Distribution co Ltd), ASTEC (Assam Science Technology and Environment Council) and MSME-DI also attended the meet.
APDCL officials expressed the hope of exploring opportunities and future collaboration on geothermal power, wind and solar power.
Nava Kumar Talukdar, additional director, industries and commerce, along with other officials discussed in detail with the Japanese delegates on the various schemes available to the entrepreneurs of the region. He assured JBIC to extend all necessary help and cooperation to support the entrepreneurs of Assam.
The delegation also comprised Tsuyoshi Honda, director, chief regional officer of Kolkata Branch of Mitsui & Co India Pvt Ltd and Vinayak Kant Mishra, senior economist (JBIC). Honda gave a brief presentation on the various sectors the company is operating in, particularly on the green energy sector.
While JBIC is a financial institution owned by the Japanese government, Mitsui & Co. is a Japanese conglomerate operating in more than 63 countries.