KATHMANDU: In a milestone moment for Nepal’s academic and policy engagement in Asia, Founder of the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA) and President of the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) Sunil KC became the first Nepali scholar to be invited to present at the prestigious IDE-JETRO Symposium in Japan. The symposium on “Bay of Bengal Updates: Regional Economic Cooperation at a Crossroads,” organized by the Institute of Developing Economies of the Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO), was held in Tokyo on 9 February 2026.

This engagement also marks the first time Nepal has been formally included in IDE-JETRO’s research and dialogue portfolio, opening the door for sustained academic and policy collaboration between Japanese and Nepali institutions. IDE-JETRO is recognized globally for its research on developing economies and regional cooperation.

At the symposium, KC delivered a presentation titled “From Buffer State to Green Battery and Digital Bridge: Nepal’s strategic pivot in the Asian century”. His remarks focused on Nepal’s evolving strategic and economic role within the Bay of Bengal region, emphasizing the growing importance of regional integration amid shifting global power dynamics.

KC highlighted that deeper regional cooperation – moving from bilateral to trilateral and broader regional frameworks – is increasingly essential for economic resilience and shared prosperity. He underscored economic growth and trade expansion as primary drivers of integration, alongside the development of multimodal transport and logistics connectivity linking hinterlands, including landlocked countries like Nepal, to the Bay of Bengal.

His presentation further addressed collaborative resource management, energy cooperation, digital integration, and the importance of maintaining maritime security and geopolitical stability. KC also stressed the value of tourism, cultural exchange, and efforts to reduce regional disparities by better connecting coastal and landlocked economies.

The event brought together distinguished scholars and policy experts from Japan, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, creating a platform for forward-looking dialogue on regional economic cooperation and strategic connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region.

AIDIA founder KC’s participation signals Nepal’s growing visibility in regional economic and strategic discussions and reflects a strengthening of intellectual and institutional ties between Nepal and Japan. IDE-JETRO and AIDIA will engage regularly for the regional discourse and research projects. Continued engagement with IDE-JETRO is expected to contribute to evidence-based policymaking and enhanced regional collaboration in the years ahead.