India and Japan today exchanged several agreements in different fields, including economic and energy security, pharmaceuticals, defence and AI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held Annual Summit-level talks with his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi in New Delhi this afternoon. The Summit provided an opportunity for both sides to review and strengthen the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Addressing the Joint Press Meet following the talks, Prime Minister Modi said mutual trust is the biggest asset in today’s time and the India-Japan bilateral partnership has stood the test of time. He highlighted that India and Japan are among the world’s biggest economies today, and a free and open Indo-Pacific is a shared priority for both countries.
He stressed that both nations understand the importance of economic security and energy security. He added that technology partnership will be the most important pillar of India-Japan cooperation. Mr Modi said that to realise this vision, India and Japan have issued a Joint Statement in the field of AI.
Prime Minister stated that the convergence of Japan’s precision technology and India’s software capabilities will give new momentum and strength to global AI development. He informed that in the field of Defence today, both nations have signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan.
The Prime Minister also said that several important decisions have been taken in the field of energy security. He said that through the India-Japan Bio-gas Initiative, one thousand biogas and organic fertiliser plants will be set up in India. He said this will give new strength to sustainability, prosperity, and rural livelihoods in India’s villages.
Prime Minister said that the economies of India and Japan are complementary. He said that there is a similarity in thinking and approach of both nations, from cultural values to modern technology.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present on the occasion.
The Japanese Prime Minister arrived in New Delhi last evening on a three-day visit to India. This is the first official visit of Prime Minister Takaichi to India. The External Affairs Ministry said the visit marks an important step in taking forward the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan.
Akashvani Correspondent reports that the India-Japan relationship is marked by frequent high-level political engagement. Most recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the Japanese Prime Minister during the G7 Summit in France. The two leaders had earlier met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year. The Annual Summit remains the flagship platform driving the strategic agenda of the partnership.
Economic Security has emerged as a key pillar of the relationship. During the 1st Economic Security Dialogue held in Tokyo in November 2024, the two sides identified five sectors as priority sectors for strategic collaboration. These are semiconductors, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, clean energy and information and communication technology.
