New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday reaffirmed the enduring strength of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, unveiling an ambitious roadmap aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, defence, clean energy, emerging technologies and regional security. Takaichi’s three-day maiden visit to India, marked by ceremonial honours and extensive bilateral discussions, reflected the growing importance both nations attach to their relationship amid an increasingly uncertain global environment.
The Japanese Prime Minister received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan before holding delegation-level and restricted talks with Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The discussions culminated in the exchange of Memorandums of Cooperation (MoCs), followed by joint press statements and participation in the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum.
Welcoming Takaichi to India, Prime Minister Modi described her visit as the beginning of “a new chapter” in bilateral ties. He highlighted the deep historical, cultural and economic bonds between the two countries, noting Japan’s long-standing contribution to India’s industrial and infrastructure development. Modi also referred to Takaichi as his “younger sister,” underscoring the warmth and trust that characterise the relationship between the two leaders.
Prime Minister Takaichi echoed the sentiment, stating that both countries had agreed to strengthen their partnership in the spirit of a brother-sister bond. She emphasised that India and Japan must leverage their respective strengths to become “stronger and more prosperous together” at a time when the global economy faces rising geopolitical tensions, protectionism and economic coercion.
A major focus of the summit was expanding economic cooperation. Prime Minister Modi revealed that around 120 new business agreements had been concluded over the past year, expected to generate more than USD 10 billion in Japanese investment in India. Looking ahead, he set an ambitious target of attracting 10 trillion yen in Japanese investment over the next decade while also aiming to double the number of Japanese companies operating in India.
The Prime Minister stressed that India’s improving ease of doing business, robust economic reforms and sustained GDP growth of 7.7 per cent in the previous financial year have made the country an increasingly attractive destination for global investors. He added that India had embraced Japan’s renowned Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement over the past decade, contributing to significant changes in the country’s economic landscape.
Addressing the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, Modi described the bilateral economic partnership as “very special.” He highlighted the success story of Maruti Suzuki, noting that nearly two-thirds of Suzuki vehicles sold globally are manufactured in India and exported to over 100 countries. During the forum, both leaders jointly inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s fourth manufacturing facility at Kharkhoda in Haryana through video conferencing, symbolising the expanding industrial collaboration between the two nations.
The two leaders also outlined several priority sectors for future cooperation. Modi stated that Japan’s technological expertise and India’s manufacturing capabilities could jointly create resilient global supply chains in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and critical minerals. He further identified shipbuilding, clean energy, mobility, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology, aerospace and defence as areas with immense potential for collaboration.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry described Takaichi’s maiden visit as a significant milestone in strengthening the bilateral relationship. According to him, discussions covered trade, investment, economic security, defence cooperation, technology, innovation, resilient supply chains and people-to-people exchanges. The leaders also endorsed the Economic Security Factsheet 2.0 to deepen business cooperation while agreeing to establish 1,000 biogas plants across India using Japanese technology, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable development and clean energy.
Energy security emerged as another key pillar of the partnership. Speaking at the economic forum, Prime Minister Takaichi emphasised that ensuring reliable energy supplies is essential for long-term regional prosperity. Tata Chemicals Managing Director R. Mukundan also advocated deeper collaboration between India and Japan in electric vehicles, green hydrogen and battery storage technologies to accelerate the global clean energy transition.
Agriculture also featured prominently in discussions. Akiba Farm Holdings President and CEO Hidetake Akiba announced the company’s expansion into the Indian market after more than 140 years of agricultural operations in Japan. The company has begun operations in Karnataka and Bengaluru, focusing on improving farmers’ incomes and enhancing milk production through advanced animal feed technologies. It plans to expand across northern, southern and western India.
Strategic and security cooperation formed another major pillar of the summit. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Takaichi said Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision aligns closely with Prime Minister Modi’s MAHASAGAR initiative, creating new opportunities for maritime cooperation and regional stability.
She stressed that the changing global order, characterised by geopolitical tensions and economic coercion, requires nations to strengthen regional autonomy and resilience. Modi similarly highlighted the importance of closer cooperation in defence, maritime security and critical technologies to ensure peace, stability and secure global supply chains.
Artificial intelligence also emerged as a promising avenue for future collaboration, with both governments identifying it as a strategic area capable of driving innovation and economic growth.
As the summit concluded, Prime Minister Modi hosted the Japanese leader for a private dinner before her scheduled departure for Tokyo. The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Japan to expand cooperation across economic, strategic and technological domains while reinforcing their role as key partners in promoting peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. With ambitious investment targets, expanded industrial collaboration and a shared vision for regional security, the two democracies have laid the foundation for a deeper and more comprehensive partnership in the years ahead.
