New Delhi/Guwahati, June 23: Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has scrapped Guwahati from her first India visit, with the high-stakes summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi now set to play out entirely in New Delhi from July 1-3.
Sources familiar with the delegation’s itinerary confirmed the shift Tuesday, citing “logistical issues” and Takaichi’s tight window back home due to an ongoing Diet session. What was billed as Assam’s diplomatic debut — a three-day showcase for the Northeast under the India-Japan Act East Forum — will instead be compressed into a capital-only programme.
The change lands hard in Guwahati. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had already reviewed Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport’s new terminal on June 14, prepping for high-level arrivals. Committees were formed, murals restored, and beautification drives launched to host Takaichi, the first Japanese premier to attempt the Assam leg since Shinzo Abe’s 2019 trip was shelved amid anti-CAA protests.
Takaichi, a close Abe protégé, was expected to stay three days in Assam for talks on investment, infrastructure, and socio-economic cooperation. Officials say both sides still want to push the same agenda — security, trade, critical minerals, energy stability — but Delhi offers easier scheduling for “programming elements” both capitals are keen to include.
The cancellation has already sparked a political back-and-forth in Assam. Ruling party leaders flagged lost investment optics, while the Opposition rejected links to the recent Zubeen Garg mural row, noting the issue was resolved before the venue shift surfaced.
For now, the Ministry of External Affairs is staying silent on venues. The summit will go ahead, but without Guwahati. For Assam, it’s a missed moment seven years in the making — and a reminder that global diplomacy still runs on Delhi time.
