Amit Sharma is the MD & CEO of Tata Consulting Engineers Limited (TCE), India’s largest pure play design, engineering and project consultancy providing concept to commissioning solutions and services. Amit’s experience spans Design and Engineering Consulting with a focus on Product, Project, Plant Design & Engineering and Asset Lifecycle Management across Process, Discrete and Infrastructure sectors. 

Prior to Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), Amit worked at Infosys, Tata Motors and WS Atkins. Currently at TCE, Amit is working closely with the team to charter TCE’s growth, scale, and evolution into an innovative and leading D&E Consultancy across selected sectors and international markets leveraging its glorious 60 years of proven excellence and track record as Engineers to the Nation. 

Amit Sharma has a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University and a BE in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology Surat.

Ajay Singh is an industry executive, energy expert and management advisor based in Tokyo. He is advisor to Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), the world’s largest private shipping group and has led its South Asia – Middle East business as senior managing executive officer and chairman of MOL India. Between 2014-20 he was special advisor to the chairman and president of JAPEX, a Japanese government-owned international oil, gas & power company. 

Earlier, he worked at Shell in India (1995-2003) and at its global headquarters in London and the Hague (2003-14). He has negotiated, executed and led several major energy projects in partnership with host governments and other companies; and has extensive experience of the Middle East, Russia, West Africa, Europe, North America and India. 

Ajay Singh is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Manchester Business School and Walchand College of Engineering. He engages widely within Japanese and Indian business and government circles to further develop trade and investment between the two countries.

Dr. Arvind Gupta is the Head and Co-founder of Digital India Foundation on, a policy think tank working in the areas of technology policy, digital inclusion, ethics of AI, supply-chain security, and governance of critical and emerging technologies. He is also an Adjunct Professor at IIT-BHU and Ashoka University. Dr. Gupta published many articles on the digital economy and governance in leading national newspapers of India, Harvard Business Review, and the World Economic Forum. He has been appointed as one of the board members of the Open Network of Digital Commerce (ONDC), an interoperable network under public-private ownership, to empower neighborhood stores to democratize the e-commerce landscape in India. In his previous role, he was the CEO of MyGov, a platform envisioned by PM Modi for digital inclusion through participative governance. He is also a member of the investment committee at the Small Industries Development Bank of India. 

He is a former board member of companies like Larsen and Toubro and State Trading Corporation of India. Dr. Gupta has almost three decades of industry experience in consumer internet, digital media, payment systems, analytics, and data economy, in senior leadership levels of policy and entrepreneurial profiles in India and Silicon Valley, USA. He has been on the Global FinTech Top100 list of Influencers and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Futures Council on Digital Economy & Society, and an OECD Expert Member of Global Value Chains. He was awarded the Eisenhower Global Fellowship for Innovation in 2014 and the Distinguished Centenary Alumni Award from IIT-BHU. 

He is an active member of TiE, NASSCOM, and a founding member of iSPiRT, and has co-founded startups such as amplify.ai, ApnaPay, and Ideaswall. He graduated with a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from IIT-BHU, Varanasi. He has a postgraduate degree in Computer Science and Business Administration on (Finance & Marketing) from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He pursued an EFPM (DBA) from the Indian School of Business, with a thesis on “Trust-based ecosystem in digital public infrastructure with India’s UPI as a case study.

Baijayant “Jay” Panda is the National Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is a 5th time Member of Parliament, having been elected twice to the Rajya Sabha (2000 and 2006) and thrice to the Lok Sabha (2009,2014, and 2024) from Kendrapada, Odisha. A graduate of Michigan Technological University with a background in engineering and management, he worked in the corporate sector before joining politics. As a seasoned parliamentarian, he chairs the Select Committee of Lok Sabha to Examine the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and Committee on Public Undertakings. 

In addition, he serves as a member of the Committee on Commerce, the Business Advisory Committee, and the Joint Parliamentary Committee on One Nation One Election. He also served as the chairman of the Select Committee of the Lok Sabha on the Income Tax Bill, 2025 to simplify the country’s Income Tax Act. As part of Operation Sindoor, he led one of India’s seven delegations to West Asia and the Gulf. On the political front, he has previously served as the BJP’s election in-charge for Assam, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. He now continues to play a pivotal role as the party’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu.

Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta is a former Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command and is currently the National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) at the National Security Council Secretariat, New Delhi. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (Pune), the Defence Services Command and Staff College (Bangladesh), the Army War College (Mhow) and the National Defence College (New Delhi), his 38 years in the Indian Navy include 15 years in senior and apex leadership positions. He commanded four frontline warships including the aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He led the Indian Navy’s Navigation School and was an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He was head of naval operations in the Western Naval Command, Mumbai and commanded the Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam. He has been the Additional Director General of the NCC and the Controller of Personnel Services at Naval Headquarters. 

He was the Chief of Staff of the Eastern Naval Command before being elevated to the position of its Commander-in-Chief. Vice Admiral Dasgupta was conferred four distinguished service awards by the President of India, namely Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yuddh Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for his contribution to naval operations, maritime affairs and strategic management in the Indian Navy. He is a regular speaker at military colleges, academic institutions, youth forums, conferences and dialogues. As the National Maritime Security Coordinator, he is mandated to provide apex level guidance and coordinate all aspects of maritime security among its multifarious stakeholders.

Chitrali Parashar is an Associate working with The Asia Group’s India and Japan practices, where she provides in-depth analysis of the political and technology landscapes in both countries. She advises clients on emerging market and regulatory trends, working at the intersection of two of Asia’s most dynamic economies. Before joining The Asia Group, Chitrali interned with the East Asia and Pacific practice at the Albright Stonebridge Group. In the summer of 2023, she broke new ground as the first foreign national to intern with the International Strategy Unit of Japan’s Digital Agency. Her work there included research on Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) and exploring its global potential through the Institutional Arrangement for Partnership (IAP). 

She also had the opportunity to draft speeches for Minister Kono Taro for the 2023 G20 India summit and prepared briefs in Japanese for his international engagements. This experience deepened her understanding of Japanese government and business culture, while forging enduring professional connections. She aims to leverage her unique background and experiences to strengthen ties between Japan and India. Chitrali is a Non-resident Handa Fellow at Pacific Forum for the year 2024-25. She holds a master’s degree in Asian Studies from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, completed in May 2024. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in International Relations from Ashoka University, India.

“Harshit Kacholia stands at the forefront of India’s digital transformation, where he architects national-scale AI strategies and shapes the governance of emerging technology. As a leading voice from the iSPIRT think tank, he provides critical insights into how India solves challenges at a population scale, shaping its digital narrative across premier global forums like the G20, GPAI, and the UN’s AI advisory body, as well as in key bilateral technology dialogues. 

He specializes in bridging the gap between cutting-edge innovation and economic reality, pioneering the first international adoptions of India’s technology frameworks with partners in Europe and South America.

A Chamber of Commerce India-France Young India Fellow, Harshit is a crucial voice in the dialogue on building resilient and collaborative technology partnerships between India and the EU.

Konark leads the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India. He contributes regularly to discussions on the semiconductor ecosystem, with his contributions being acknowledged in the SIA-IESA semiconductor “readiness assessment” report under the earlier iCET (initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies) between the U.S. and India. 

He is also an expert on the regulation of the space technology ecosystem in India and has also written on India’s approach to international space partnerships. 

Lastly, his area of work involves looking at technology transfer issues, and any roadblocks to the same, involving export controls.

Mr. SHUKURI Masafumi has over 50 years of distinguished experience in transportation policy and administration. Since 2014, he has served as Chairman of the International High-Speed Rail Association, sharing knowledge and experience for global development of safe, reliable, and efficient high-speed rail system. Since 2018, he has also been Chairman of the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute, leading research, policy development, and sustainable approaches to transport and tourism in Japan and abroad. He began his career in 1974 after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Tokyo and joining the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, MLIT). Over his career, he held senior positions including First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, Private Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Counsellor at the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, Director-General of the Road Transport Bureau, Director-General of the Policy Bureau, and Deputy Vice-Minister of the Minister’s Secretariat. From 2008 to 2012, he served as Vice-Minister of MLIT, playing a central role in shaping national transportation policy. Since 2013, he has been Visiting Professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, and since 2021, Chairman of the Japan Maritime Center.

Masahisa Ikeda is an attorney with extensive experience representing global companies and governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on a wide variety of matters, including cross-border acquisitions, regulatory matters, financings and disputes. He also represents numerous corporations on various governmental investigation matters, compliance and corporate governance matters, including investigations relating to securities law, antitrust law and U.S. FCPA, before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the European Commission. Masahisa speaks frequently on international business issues and legal issues. Masahisa is on the board of numerous non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Japan including serving as the Asia Pacific Director of the Trilateral Commission, a Board Member of the Tokyo Foundation and an Auditor of the International House of Japan. Masahisa has been named a leading practitioner for capital markets, M&A and asset management by Chambers Global, Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, IFLR 1000 and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

I am currently Managing Executive Officer, with a regional oversight of Nippon Steel Corporation’s business in India, Middle East, Africa and South East Asia (except Thailand), and I am based in New Delhi. This year my role has expanded to look at further opportunities in Middle East and Africa. I joined Nippon Steel in 1987. My background has been in the finance field, including leading the Corporate Finance, Capital Projects, M&A, Budgeting teams in Nippon Steel. 

During my career I have worked in major steel works in Japan as well in a semiconductor business (joint venture) in Singapore, which has helped me to understand the operations and management. From 2013 to 2018, I was the Chief Financial Officer of a joint venture with an Australian company based out of Singapore, from which I gained experience as part of the leadership team. Upon return to Tokyo in 2018, I had been responsible for global business development at Nippon Steel’s head office. I hold a MBA from the Graduate School of International Management, International University of Japan and LL.B., Faculty of Law,Sophia University.

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri is the India practice head for Eurasia Group, fellow at the Ananta Aspen Centre and former Foreign Editor of the Hindustan Times. He wrote about international politics and economic issues for the Telegraph and the Statesman newspapers in Calcutta from 1985 to 2000 before joining the Hindustan Times. As a member of the Aspen Strategy Group of India he is a delegate for a number of track two strategic and climate dialogues including those with the United States, China, Israel, Turkey, South Korea, Britain, and a US-India-Japan trilateral. He served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board to the Prime Minister of India from 2011 to 2015. He is an advisor to the Council for Energy Environment and Water and the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and is editor of a forthcoming magazine on geopolitics and technology for the USISPF chamber of commerce. He has a number of affiliations including the Mont Pelerin Society, Aspen Institute Italia, Asia Society Global Council, New York, and Institute for International and Strategic Studies, London.

R. Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Chemicals Limited, joined Tata Administrative Service in 1990, after completion of MBA from FMS, Delhi University. 

He is a distinguished alumnus of IIT, Roorkee, a Fellow of Indian Chemical Society and an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in business administration by XIM University, Bhubaneshwar. 

With over 30 years of experience at Tata Group, he has held various responsibilities across the Chemical, Automotive and Hospitality sectors of the Tata Group. He serves industry forums and impact organisations. He is currently President–Designate CII for FY 2025-26.

Rajan Navani is a visionary leader in India’s digital and creative economy, serving as the Chairman & Managing Director of JetSynthesys, the most innovative company of the Jetline Group that he Chairs. As Co-Chairman of the CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment, he drives innovation and industry growth across video gaming, esports, technology, and entertainment. 

He also Co-Chairs the India@100 Foundation shaping the Viksit Bharat of 2047 and the Ananta Aspen Center, the foremost institution for values based leadership. He also represents India on several prestigious global and national industry forums, shaping conversations around future tech, entrepreneurship, and digital culture.

D.B.Venkatesh Varma served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1988 to 2021. During his diplomatic career, he worked in the Office of the External Affairs Minister and in the Prime Minister’s Office. He served as India’s Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, to the Kingdom of Spain and to the Russian Federation, until October 2021.He has vast experience in India’s Security and Defence policies and served as Joint Secretary in charge of Disarmament and International Security in the Ministry of External Affairs. 

He was the first Recipient of the S.K.Singh Award for Excellence in the Indian Foreign Service in 2011 for his contribution to the historic Civil Nuclear Initiative negotiated with the United States, IAEA, NSG and other countries. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the VIF New Delhi, visiting Professor at SIS JNU, National Institute of Advance Studies, Bangalore, Kautilya School of Public Policy, and Associate Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. He is a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and member of the National Security Advisory Board of India’s National Security Council.

Abhishek Sankritik is Director, Policy & Programs at Finternet Labs, where he leads work on legislative and regulatory affairs at the intersection of finance, technology and law, translating institutional and regulatory requirements into programmable infrastructure for open, interoperable finance. He has authored the World Bank background paper “Digital Public Infrastructure: Setting Standards with the Hourglass Model” for the World Development Report 2025, which explores global approaches to DPI standards and governance. 

In the private sector, he previously served as COO and General Counsel of Cymbient Technologies (Rooba.Finance), a platform for real world asset tokenization, where he guided the company through the IFSC Innovation Sandbox in GIFT City. 

Earlier in his career Abhishek spent several years in Indian courts, appearing and reporting on major constitutional litigation for Supreme Court Observer, including major constitution bench cases such as the Article 370, Sabarimala, Hadiya, and others.

With over 33 years of engagement with India, including more than a decade living in the country, Adrian has dedicated his career to building global partnerships that unlock India’s talent, innovation, and institutional strengths. He has worked with leading universities, companies, and governments worldwide to design initiatives that have created local jobs, attracted international investment, and informed higher education and economic policy. Adrian is passionate about advancing India’s role as a global knowledge and innovation hub through international education partnerships that align with NEP 2020 and support India’s vision of a skilled, research-driven economy and Viksit Bharat 2047. Currently, he is focused on leveraging India’s demographic dividend to meet the research and workforce needs of Japanese universities and companies, helping connect India’s ambitious youth with opportunities in high-tech sectors. His goal is to enable 30,000 Indian students and work-ready graduates to enter Japanese universities and corporates by 2030. At Acumen, he is partnering with the University of Tokyo, JETRO, the Embassy of India in Tokyo, and the Association of Indian Universities under Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) initiative—deepening the India–Japan education, research and innovation corridor.

Arvind is the founder of Okaeri Ventures and an accomplished leader in private equity and venture capital, focusing on India’s dynamic consumer, education, financial services, logistics, and technology sectors. His notable investments include VRL Logistics, PNB Housing Finance, Varsity Education, and Sasken, reflecting his commitment to scaling emerging market leaders. He served as a Partner at New Silk Route Growth Capital, a prominent Indian private equity firm managing over $1.4 billion in assets. 

Arvind was also a founding Executive Director at JP Morgan Private Capital Asia and held senior investment roles at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), the world’s largest venture capital firm. His earlier career includes tenures at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and McKinsey & Company. Arvind graduated with highest distinction from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and earned an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Wharton School of Business. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO), an Aspen Institute Leadership Fellow, a Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow, and serves as a Trustee of the One Billion Lives Foundation, advancing education, healthcare, and livelihoods in Karnataka.

Mr Ashok K. Kantha is former career diplomat who served as Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs and Ambassador/High Commissioner to China, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. 

He is an Honorary Fellow and former Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi; a Distinguished Fellow at Council for Strategic and Defence Research, New Delhi; and Chair of the Core Group on China of the Confederation of Indian Industry. 

In his diplomatic career, Kantha specialized in India’s neighbourhood and extended neighbourhood with a particular focus on China and South Asia.

Milinda Moragoda’s career spans business, government, politics, diplomacy, academia, public service, and the media. He most recently served as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India (2021–2023) and is the Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, a leading Sri Lankan policy research and advocacy organisation, which houses the Centres for Indo-Lanka Initiatives, China–Sri Lanka Cooperation Studies, the Law of the Sea, and the Hafez Centre for Cultural Understanding. He is also Founder and Chairman of the MMBL–Pathfinder Group, a diversified investment group engaged in financial services, tourism, property, aviation, logistics, agriculture, and digital media. From 2000 to 2010, he served in Parliament, holding several cabinet portfolios including Economic Reform, Tourism, and Justice and Law Reform, and played a key role in the 2001–2004 Norwegian-facilitated peace process. His E-Sri Lanka initiative led to the creation of the ICT Agency, while his child-soldier rehabilitation and humanitarian de-mining programmes have received international commendation. Mr. Moragoda heads initiatives on interfaith dialogue, urban poverty, and Buddhist lay leadership, and serves as Patron and Chairman, respectively, of the Lay Councils of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya and of the Kotte sect. Internationally, he is an Honorary Senior Fellow of the National University of Singapore’s Institute for South Asian Studies, served on the UN Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, and was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He is also a television talk-show host and a regular columnist for several leading newspapers.

HARADA Daisuke started his career at Japan National Oil Corporation (JNOC) in 1997. As an economist, he was engaged in several projects in Asia and Oceania. In 2003, He was seconded to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (ANRE-METI), appointed as a specialist for international energy affairs, especially on natural gas sphere. In 2006, as soon as he returned from ANRE-METI to Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC; JNOC and Metal Mines Agency of Japan merged in in 2004), he was appointed as Deputy Director of Moscow Representative Office and worked for starting up upstream JVs in East Siberia. 

After six years career in Russia, he came back to Tokyo and has been appointed as a regional specialist and an economist for projects in Russia and CIS, continuously researches the multilateral relations and geopolitics between Russia, US, EU, China and Japan, and also providing intelligence services to Japanese Government and private entities. His publications include ‘The Depth of the Energy Crisis’ (Chikuma Shinsho, 2023) and contributions to ‘Energy Security in Northeast Asia’ (ERINA, 2016).

Daisuke Kawai’s areas of expertise include Indo-Pacific security, and economic security, with a special interest in critical and emerging technologies (CETs). His work has contributed to the development of Japan’s Economic Security Promotion Act (ESPA), commissioned by the Japanese government and the Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation within the Cabinet Office of Japan. Currently, he leads the Critical and Emerging Technology cooperation within the Quad. In a related capacity, he serves as the Senior Advisor for Quad Strategic Planning to the Quad Investors Network (QUIN). 

He also holds several senior appointments in Japan and the United States, including serving as Senior Researcher at Keio University’s SFC Institute; Special Advisor to the Suntory Holdings Limited; Special Advisor to the Chairman at the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) in Tokyo, as well as Senior Fellow at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS); and Nonresident Fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) in Washington, D.C. Previously, he was a Research Fellow for Indo-Pacific Affairs at the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), and Research Fellow at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). Additionally, he served as the secretariat of the Council of Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) Japan, and worked at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), UK. He won the JIIA’s 60th Anniversary Essay Contest award with his essay titled “Building a Free and Rules-Based International Order”. In 2024, he has been nominated as a David Rockefeller Fellow (DRF) of the Trilateral Commission, as well as the Asia-Pacific representative of DRF.

Deepanshu Singh is the Head of Partnerships & Government Relations at the GATI Foundation, where he leads national and state-level collaborations to strengthen India’s global talent mobility architecture. In this role, he works closely with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, foreign governments, and international organizations to design ethical, scalable pathways for overseas employment. 

He drives key mobility corridors across Germany, Japan, Europe, Australia, and the Gulf, while shaping institutional models such as State Global Mobility Units, International Placement Cells, accreditation frameworks, and the proposed Global Skills Mobility Industry Alliance. 

Before joining GATI, Deepanshu built a strong career as an educator, public policy practitioner, and UPSC mentor, guiding lakhs of aspirants and working across major state governments on skills and workforce initiatives.

Dr.Gitanjali Sinha Roy is an Assistant Professor of International Relations, Indo-Pacific Studies and Japanese Studies at the Jindal School of International Affair, O.P. Jindal Global University. She is the Director of the Pankaj Kumar Jha Centre for Security Studies. Dr. Sinha Roy is also the Assistant Dean of Admissions for the Jindal School of International Affairs. 

Previously, Dr. Gitanjali Sinha Roy was a Research Assistant at the United Service Institution of India, New Delhi, India. She was also a Research Associate at the Centre for Strategy and Security Studies (CESCUBE) and apart from that, she is a Fellow at the Japan Division at CESCUBE(honorary). Gitanjali was also the Coordinator (honorary) at the MOSAI, MEXT Indo Group where she handles projects on India-Japan relations with a special focus on language and culture. Previously, she worked with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, India as a research assistant.

Previously, she was a visiting Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Fellow at the University of Tokyo. She was also a researcher at the University of Tokyo and worked on strengthening India-Japan Relations. Gitanjali has extensively written in books, journals, and websites and has been a guest speaker for many Japan-related forums. Her interest areas comprise India and Japan’s Foreign Policy, Security Strategy and Diplomacy, India-Japan Relations: Maritime Security and Strategy in the Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asian and Security Strategy and Diplomacy.

Professor Harsh V. Pant is Vice President – Studies and Foreign Policy at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. He is a Professor of International Relations with King’s India Institute at King’s College London. He is also Director (Honorary) of Delhi School of Transnational Affairs at Delhi University. Professor Pant has been a Visiting Professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; a Visiting Professor at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; a Visiting Fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania; a Visiting Scholar at the Center for International Peace and Security Studies, McGill University; a Non-Resident Fellow with the Wadhwani Chair in US-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC; and an Emerging Leaders Fellow at the Australia-India Institute, University of Melbourne. Professor Pant’s current research is focused on Asian security issues. His most recent books include Power and Purpose: Rediscovering Indian Foreign Policy in Amrit Kaal (Rupa); India and Japan: A Natural Partnership in the Indo-Pacific (OrientBlack Swan); India, South Korea and the Asean: Middle Power Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific (Routledge); India and Global Governance: A Rising Power and Its Discontents (Routledge); Politics and Geopolitics: Decoding India’s Neighbourhood Challenge (Rupa); America and the Indo-Pacific: Trump and Beyond (Routledge); New Directions in India’s Foreign Policy: Theory and Praxis (Cambridge University Press); India’s Nuclear Policy (Oxford University Press); Handbook of Indian Defence Policy (Routledge); and India’s Afghan Muddle (HarperCollins). Professor Pant writes regularly for various Indian and international media outlets including the Japan Times, the Wall Street Journal, the National (UAE), the Hindustan Times, and the Telegraph.

Mr. Hideshi TOKUCHI served as Japan’s first-ever Vice-Minister of Defense for International Affairs from 2014 to 2015 after completing several senior assignments in the Ministry of Defense, including the Director-General of Defense Policy Bureau, of Budget and Equipment Bureau, of Personnel and Education Bureau, and of Operations Bureau. He has been the President of the Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS), an independent think-tank in Tokyo, since 2021. He often writes and speaks about issues related to Japan’s national security policy and East Asian regional security. He is teaching Japan’s foreign and security policy at Sophia University. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Tokyo in 1979, and his Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (M.A.L.D.) degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1986.

Hiroyuki Akita is a Commentator of Nikkei. He regularly writes commentaries and columns, analysis mainly on foreign & international security affairs. He joined Nikkei in 1987 and worked at Political News Dept.(98-2002) where he covered Japanese foreign & security policies, domestic politics. He was Senior & Editorial Staff Writer (2009-17) , and he also worked at “Leader Writing Team ” of the Financial Times in London (Oct-Dec, 16). He was Beijing Correspondent (94-98) and Washington Chief Correspondent (2002-06). In Beijing, he reported major news events such as death of Deng Xiaoping, Hong Kong handover to China. In Washington DC, he covered White House & Pentagon, State Department during Bush administration. He graduated from Jiyu Gakuen College in 1987 and Boston University (M.A.). From 2006 to 07, he was an associate of US-Japan Program at Harvard University, where he conducted a research on US-China-Japan relations. In March 2019, he won the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist Award, a prize for outstanding reporting of international affairs. He is an author of two books in Japanese: “Anryu (Power Game of US-China-Japan)”(2008), “Ranryu (Strategic Competition of US-Japan and China)”(2016).

Ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar was, until recently, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, handling India’s relations with over 60 countries in Asia, Oceania and the Americas as well as regional organisations – ASEAN, BIMSTEC and IORA. 

He has been Ambassador of India to Austria, the Holy See and Montenegro and Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna, Governor on the Board of Governors of the IAEA and Chair of the Wassenaar Arrangement. He was Ambassador to the Philippines, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. He has served three times in China including as Deputy Chief of Mission, in Bangladesh, Nepal – again as Deputy Chief of Mission , at the United Nations in New York, and in Egypt.

In the Prime Minister’s Office he worked on foreign affairs, defence and security issues, atomic energy and space. He has been India’s Chief of Protocol and also Head of the Southern Division in the Ministry of External Affairs looking after bilateral relations with ASEAN countries as well as Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. He also headed the Nalanda Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, charged with the revival of the ancient Nalanda University, an East Asia Summit initiative. Presently, Ambassador Mazumdar is in the Governing Council of India Foundation and of Asian Confluence.

Dr. Ken JIMBO is a Professor of International Relations at Keio University and a Managing Director of Programs at the International House of Japan (IHJ/I-House). He is concurrently an adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS). He served as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Defense, Japan Ministry of Defense (2020) and Senior Advisor to the National Security Secretariat (2018-20). His main research interests are in International Security, Japan-US Security Relations, and Japan’s Foreign and Defense Policy. He has been a policy advisor for various Japanese governmental commissions and research groups, including the National Security Secretariat, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His policy writings have appeared in RAND Corporation, NBR, Stimson Center, Pacific Forum CSIS, Japan Times, Nikkei, Yomiuri, Asahi and Sankei Shimbun.

Kenji Hiramatsu is President of the Institute for International Strategy at the Japan Research Institute, Ltd., a role he has held since 2022. He also serves as Outside Director and Audit Committee Member of Nippon Steel Corporation, and Special Advisor to the UN World Tourism Organization. He previously served as Ambassador of Japan to Spain (2019-2022) and to India (2015-2019), where he was instrumental in deepening strategic ties and advancing initiatives such as the Quad. Over his four-decade career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he held senior positions including Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau, Director-General for Global Issues, and Minister at the Japanese Embassies in the U.S. and U.K. Hiramatsu is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University.

Miho is a dedicated bridge-builder between Japan and India, with over 20 years of experience fostering cultural, educational, and business exchange. Born in Kumamoto and raised in Fukuoka, she began her career as a travel magazine editor in Tokyo before moving to New York in 1996. There, she founded Muse Publishing in 1998, launching Japanese-language free papers and authoring the book “City Lights” about life and entrepreneurship in the U.S. After marrying Arvind Malhan in New Delhi in 2001, she spent the end of 2003 studying English at Georgetown University. Her research report topics were “India’s Brain Drain and Reverse” and “India’s New Economy.” 

Foreseeing India’s rise, they relocated to Bangalore in 2005. Since then, she has been a leading voice introducing contemporary India to Japanese audiences through radio programs, seminars, columns, and market research. In 2012, she founded Muse Creation Charitable Trust for creative social contribution. In 2023, she co-founded Okaeri Ventures. She serves as brand ambassador for Kyoto Yuzen Sarees, curating kimono-saree exhibitions. Her initiatives include the Japan-India children’s mural project, and major events. Through writing, speaking, and her YouTube channel, Miho continues to deepen mutual understanding between Japan and India.

Munehiko Sayama, born on September 15, 1969, in Tokyo, Japan, graduated from Keio University’s Faculty of Science and Technology in 1992. He began his career the same year by joining Nichimen Corporation, which later became Sojitz Corporation following its merger with Nissho Iwai Corporation in 2004. Early in his career, he spent a year in Russian language training at Saint Petersburg State University. 

Over the years, he held several positions within Sojitz, including working at the Moscow Representative Office from 2006, serving as Manager of Section 1 in the Plant Project Department from 2012, and becoming Deputy General Manager of the same department in 2016. In December 2018, he was appointed Managing Director of LLC Sojitz Russia. 

He later advanced to Deputy COO of the Metals, Mineral Resources & Recycling Division in January 2023, and subsequently became General Manager of its Resource Recycling Business Department in March 2024. As of February 2025, he serves as Managing Director of Sojitz India Pvt. Ltd.

Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne is a distinguished military leader who served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) [2011-13]. Commissioned into the fighter steam of the IAF on 24 June 1972, his service record includes leading the Western Air Command (2009-11) the IAF’s largest operational command; directing staff (DS) at Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) & Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and commanding a fighter squadron and a premium IAF airbase. 

An alumnus of the Air Command and Staff College (USA), he also trained with the Royal Air Force in the UK on Jaguar aircraft. Throughout his career of 42 years, Air Chief Browne held pivotal strategic roles. As the first Defence Attaché in Tel Aviv he was mandated with the establishment of the Defence Wing (1997–2000) and, as Deputy Chief, Vice Chief and the Chief of the Air Staff, he oversaw the IAF’s extensive modernisation drive. Following his service tenure, the former Air Chief was appointed India’s Ambassador to Norway (2014–2016). He currently serves as a Director on the board of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).

Rakesh Dubey is Director – Global Government Affairs with the Carlyle Group, focusing on policy advocacy, engagement with government and stakeholders. 

Prior to joining Carlyle, Rakesh was leading Public and Government Affairs for Bayer Crop Science in Asia-Pacific building strategic partnerships with stakeholders in government, industry chambers, customers and peer industry partners on climate smart agriculture initiatives and sustainable growth models for small-holder farmers. 

Rakesh led the Policy and Government Affairs for Monsanto in India before his role at Bayer. He has contributed to industry for more than 26 years leading Stakeholder Engagement, R&D strategy and investments, Technology Commercialization and Business Development functions. 

He has a bachelor’s and master’s in agriculture from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, India, and MS in Genetics from Texas A&M University.

Shri Suresh Prabhu is a globally renowned policy strategist, visionary leader, and sustainability advocate with an illustrious career in governance, finance, infrastructure, climate action, and international diplomacy. A six-time Member of Parliament and former Union Cabinet Minister, he has held 10 key portfolios including Railways, Commerce & Industry, Civil Aviation, Power, Environment, and Heavy Industries. He has worked extensively at village, district, state, national, and global levels across cooperative sectors, serving as the youngest Chairman of Saraswat Bank and being on the board of the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI). 

As a global thought leader, he has represented India at the G20, G7, United Nations, and several multilateral forums, addressing top universities and policy platforms across 120+ countries. 

He has co-founded leading think tanks, including the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, and continues to guide global dialogues on energy, climate, trade, and sustainable development. Suresh Prabhu is also a distinguished academic, serving as Chancellor of Rishihood University and Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics.

Recognized globally, he has been conferred multiple honorary doctorates and awarded by prestigious national and international institutions for his lifelong contribution to public policy, innovation, and human development.

Amb. Takio Yamada is currently serving as Ambassador in charge of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), and as Executive Director, Center for Global Outreach and Executive Fellow at JIIA. 

He previously served as Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2020-2024), Ambassador to UNESCO (2017-2020) and Ambassador to ASEAN (2010-2012). He served as Minister (Head of the Political Section) at the Embassy of Japan in India from （2006 -2008). 

He also served as Director-General of the South Asian Affairs Department and Director-General of the International Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. He has written several articles on various subjects including East Asian regional policy, the relations between Japan and India, and Vietnam in ‘Northeast’ Asian history. 

He received an M.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, and a B.A. (Law) from Kyoto University.

Senior Manager, India Strategy Group, Electronic Materials Business Division (August 2025 – Present). 

Senior Manager, Business Strategy group, Electronic Materials Business Division (October 2023 – July 2025). 

President, FUJIFILM Recording Media USA, Inc (July 2022 – September 2023) .

Vice President, Sales and Marketing, FUJIFILM Recording Media USA (October 2020 – June 2022).

General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Recording Media Products Division (June 2016 – September 2020). 

Manager, OEM Group, Sales and Marketing, Recording Media Products Division (June 2016 – September 2020). 

Manager, Sales and Marketing, FUJIFILM Recording Media GmbH (April 2006 – May 2012). 

Sales and Marketing, Recording Media Products Division, FUJIFILM Corporation (April 1997 – March 2006)

A distinguished industrial leader in India’s engineering and manufacturing sector, with over 37 years of experience, including 21 years as Managing Director and CEO of iconic engineering companies such as Ashok Leyland, JCB India and Tecumseh India. 

Is the recipient of the Honorary Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur (2025), conferred in recognition of contributions to ‘industry, innovation and national development’. 

Has also worked with Tata Steel and Shriram Honda. Widely respected for ability to bridge engineering excellence with enterprise leadership, public policy and institution building. Influence spans across industry, academia, government advisory roles and non-profit engagement.

Involved in many management roles, launching seven business companies such as the development of industrial machinery sales companies.Developed the business of industrial machinery (automotive equipment, machine tools, construction machinery, food machinery, etc.) sales companies by incorporating finance (leasing and rental business). 

(While at MC, launched seven business companies, participated in management as president of three companies and outside director of four companies.) Established FTO Corporation which creates the future of the Indo-Pacific region through Japan-India cooperation (2024). 

As founding president of a machine tool sales and service company, he achieved operating profitability in three years ( 2007). Transfer of food machinery and overseas expansion of machine tools (1997-2004)