India and Japan have held their seventh meeting to strengthen cooperation in forestry matters. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change hosted the discussion in Bengaluru on 8 September 2026, bringing together senior officials from both nations to chart future work in forests and related conservation areas.
What was discussed and agreed
The Indian delegation was headed by Shri Ramesh Kumar Pandey, Additional Director General (Forests) at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Japan sent Mr. Shimizu Kotaro, Deputy Director General of the Forestry Agency under Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Three main topics formed the focus of talks:
- Trees Outside Forests (TOFs): Both countries shared knowledge on how to assess, manage and improve tree resources that exist outside traditional forest areas.
- Forest Genetics: Discussions covered preserving genetic resources, tree breeding programmes, development of better planting material and storage of plant genetic information.
- Forest Stock: The two sides exchanged ideas on forest inventory systems, assessing forest resources and using satellite technology and monitoring tools for tracking forests.
Both nations approved a new Roadmap covering the period 2027 to 2031 under an existing Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2015. This renewal signals their intention to continue and deepen joint work on forests, wildlife protection, research and training programmes.
The delegations also formally signed the minutes recording the outcomes of this 7th meeting of the Joint Working Group.
What this means for you
These discussions may lead to improved forest management practices in India through knowledge sharing with Japan. Better techniques for growing trees on farmland and stronger conservation of wildlife reserves could benefit farmers and rural communities. Advances in forest genetics and monitoring technology may help India manage its forest resources more effectively and protect biodiversity. Enhanced research cooperation between the two countries could create opportunities for Indian scientists and foresters to access new methods and expertise.