Takuro Takeuchi Appointed as New Chief Representative of JICA India

Takuro Takeuchi has been appointed as the new Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) India Office, effective from September 23, 2024. He succeeds Saito Mitsunori, who served in the role for three years and one month.

With over 27 years of experience at JICA, Takeuchi has held prominent leadership positions, including his most recent role as Senior Director of the General Affairs Division, where he contributed to shaping JICA’s strategic and management frameworks. He has also served as Senior Director for South Asia Division 1, overseeing operations in India, and as Director of Human Resources and South Asia Division 4, responsible for Bangladesh and Nepal.

Upon his appointment, Takeuchi expressed his excitement about working in India, emphasizing the country’s potential for global growth as well as the complexities of its challenges. He highlighted the strong partnerships between JICA and Indian institutions and pledged to strengthen the collaboration to foster sustainable development and a secure future.

Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to India began in 1958, making India the first recipient of a Japanese ODA loan. Since then, Japan has committed over 8,255.3 billion Japanese Yen (around INR 4.4 lakh crore) to more than 333 public sector projects in areas such as transportation, healthcare, energy, and sanitation. JICA remains dedicated to supporting India’s sustainable growth and development through ongoing and future projects.