Kobe-Ahmedabad Sister Cities | 29 Jun 2019

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of sister-city partnership was signed by Japan and India during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit for 2019 G20 Osaka summit in Japan.

It will cultivate, promote and enhance opportunities on the business, academic and cultural front between Kobe in Hyogo, Japan and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India.
In November 2016, India and Japan signed a sister-state relationship MoU for Gujarat and Hyogo prefecture.
- The MoU sought to promote mutual cooperation between Gujarat and Hyogo in the fields of academics, business, cultural cooperation, disaster management and environmental protection.
- Kobe is the capital city of Hyogo. Indian Prime Minister had visited a bullet train plant in Kobe.
- India is building its first bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad with Japan's help.
The UNESCO has recognized Ahmedabad as the World Heritage City and Kobe as the Creative Design City, and therefore, both are recognized by the world as cities of repute.
- This common thread will help people connect and this is very important for the growth on other fronts.
- Kobe already has a large section of Gujarati community.

Sister City

The concept of sister cities or twin towns is a legal and social agreement between towns, cities, counties, oblasts, prefectures, provinces, regions, states between two separate countries to promote cultural and commercial ties.
The plan was conceived after the end of World War II to promote peaceful coexistence and to encourage trade and tourism.
In diplomacy, this concept is seen as a way to enhance strategic ties between the two nations, both cultural as well as economic.
In 2013, India signed the sister city agreements with China -- the pairs were Delhi-Beijing, Bengaluru-Chengdu and Kolkata-Kunming.