Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio meets foreign envoys, NITI Aayog officials to strengthen partnerships, discuss development priorities

KOHIMA — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, currently on an official visit to New Delhi, held a series of meetings with ambassadors of Japan, Thailand, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strengthen diplomatic ties and explore future collaborations. He also met with top officials of NITI Aayog to deliberate on key development priorities for the state.

According to updates shared on Tuesday and Wednesday, the chief minister described the engagements with the envoys as part of efforts to reinforce bilateral relations and pursue areas of mutual cooperation.

On Wednesday, Rio met with Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India, and Chavanart Thangsumphant, Ambassador of Thailand to India. A day earlier, he held discussions with Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland to India, and Abdulnasser Alshaali, Ambassador of the UAE to India.

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With the Ambassador of Japan, Rio reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening ties and advancing our shared goals. His meeting with the Thailand envoy focused on “ways to strengthen our ties and further enhance bilateral relations.”

In an update on X on Tuesday, Rio described his meeting with the Irish Ambassador as a pleasure and said the two exchanged views on strengthening ties and exploring avenues for mutual cooperation. The Irish Embassy in India confirmed that the meeting focused on building future collaborations and strengthening Ireland-India ties.

Rio also described his interaction with the UAE Ambassador as a “meaningful and engaging exchange” and expressed optimism about future collaboration for mutual benefit.

In a separate engagement, the chief minister, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang, Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam, and other senior state officials, met with NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and his team on Tuesday.

The meeting with NITI Aayog was described as “comprehensive,” with deliberations covering a range of development priorities, including enhancing road and air connectivity, establishing national-level institutions for higher education, and improving youth skill development, particularly in tourism and the creative economy. The discussions also focused on aligning Nagaland’s developmental vision with the national objective of Viksit Bharat 2047.

As per updates from NITI Aayog, Vice Chairman Bery commended Nagaland for its performance on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and lauded the state’s efforts in fostering a startup and innovation-driven ecosystem. The discussions built upon earlier engagements, including the chief minister’s recent participation in NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meeting, focusing on key development issues concerning the state.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration between NITI Aayog, the Government of Nagaland, and relevant Union ministries to enable inclusive, sustainable, and transformative growth in the state.