Kohima, Dec 1 (IANS) Six countries — Austria, France, Ireland, Malta, Switzerland and the United Kingdom — which are the partner countries for this year’s 10-day Hornbill Festival, have expressed keen interest in collaborating with Nagaland across a range of sectors, officials said on Monday.

The 26th edition of the iconic ‘Hornbill Festival’ (December 1-10), began on Monday at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, around 12 km south of the state capital Kohima.

An official of Nagaland government said that the inaugural roundtable and networking meeting with the six country partners was held at a hotel in Kohima on Sunday night.

According to the official, Advisor to state Chief Minister and Chairman, IDAN (Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland), Abu Metha, chaired the meeting and delivered the welcome address.

Nagaland is poised to strengthen its global footprint as it hosts a landmark diplomatic and economic engagement during the 10-day Hornbill festival 2025.

The official said that the IDAN convened the inaugural roundtable and networking meeting with country partners, bringing together international representatives, government officials, and key industry stakeholders for a high-level dialogue.

The roundtable follows the recent announcement by the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio designating six nations — Austria, France, Ireland, Malta, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom as country partners for this year’s Hornbill festival, an initiative that underscores the state’s growing emphasis on global engagement.

Reinforcing regional cooperation, Arunachal Pradesh has been named the state partner, strengthening Northeast India’s shared vision for development and collaborative growth, the official said.

He said that with the participation of senior diplomats, including the attendance of the Ambassadors of France, Ireland, Switzerland and the High Commissioner of Malta, the roundtable marks a significant milestone in Nagaland’s outreach to the international community.

“Their presence signals a growing interest among foreign missions to explore Nagaland as an emerging interface for economic, cultural, and strategic partnership in the Northeast. More than a ceremonial curtain-raiser, the roundtable is structured as a strategic platform for policy dialogue, identifying concrete opportunities for partnership, promoting cross-border collaboration, and deepening bilateral relations with participating nations,” the official added.

Stakeholders across sectors like tourism, trade, investment, innovation, technology, and creative and cultural industries are expected to converge to engage with Nagaland’s government agencies and local enterprises to identify practical partnership models, joint ventures, and investment pipelines that can be progressed during and after the festival.

Key components of engagements during the Hornbill festival will be the series of roundtables, B2Bs and stakeholder sessions.

This roundtable signifies Nagaland’s readiness to engage with the country partners on pragmatic investment opportunities and in positioning the state as an emerging player in regional diplomacy, economic partnership, and cultural engagement.

The official said that the Hornbill festival, already one of India’s most prominent cultural festivals, is increasingly being broadened to catalyse cultural exchange into concrete economic and investment opportunities.

By pairing national and international partners with Nagaland’s entrepreneurs and institutions, the roundtable engagements aim to be a platform where culture meets commerce, heritage meets innovation, and local aspirations meet international possibilities.

As the state is ready for the festive season, the inaugural roundtable is expected to set the tone for a series of high-level engagements, reinforcing Nagaland’s vision of fostering meaningful, long-term relationships with both foreign partners and neighbouring states, the official added.

He said that during the Hornbill carnival, country partners emphasised the importance and possibilities of collaborating and partnering with Nagaland in the areas of education, sports, culture, health, digital, food processing industries, infrastructure, agriculture sector, etc.

–IANS

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