In New Delhi, NITI Aayog and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed the Record of Discussions (RoD) for the Project for Promotion of the Programme for Japan - India Cooperative Actions Towards Sustainable Development Goals – Phase Two. The RoD was signed in the presence of Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, and Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India. The initiative is intended to strengthen bilateral development cooperation focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).\n\nNITI Aayog described the collaboration as a reaffirmation of the India-Japan development partnership and said it would advance joint efforts to accelerate inclusive development in underserved regions. The programme will bring together institutional strengths, shared knowledge and on-ground experience to support localised interventions in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks. Officials indicated that the partnership aims to leverage evidence-based approaches to address priority gaps.\n\nThe project will focus on strengthening policy frameworks and implementation systems across six themes: global partnership; health and nutrition; education; agriculture and water resources; financial inclusion and skill development; and basic infrastructure. It will prioritise institutional capacity building, improved monitoring and evaluation and effective localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals at district and block levels. Planned activities include people to people and capacity-building exchanges, Japan-India knowledge forums and the identification and dissemination of best practices.\n\nRepresentatives of JICA praised the implementation record of the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme and noted that India’s district and block level monitoring systems are widely regarded as strong. The signing of the RoD was described as a mutually beneficial step that further strengthens the bilateral partnership for development cooperation. Stakeholders said the arrangement reflects a shared commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through strengthened institutional capacity and evidence-based governance in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks.