Japan and India expand strategic ties in Modi-Takaichi talks
Tokyo and New Delhi pledge closer cooperation on defence, supply chains, oil reserves, biogas and AI as both sides seek a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- Japanese and Indian leaders agreed to deepen cooperation across economic security, defence, energy, and advanced technology, with a shared focus on a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- The talks resulted in an economic package covering about 120 cooperation projects between Japanese and Indian companies, with investments totaling around 2 trillion yen.
- Security ties were strengthened with an agreement to promote collaboration on defence equipment and to hold a "two-plus-two" meeting of the countries' foreign and defence ministers.
- The partnership will extend to energy security, with Japan supporting India's oil stockpiling system, and to advanced technology, including joint research and development in artificial intelligence.
Japan and India moved to broaden their strategic partnership as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to step up cooperation across economic security, defence, energy and advanced technology during talks in New Delhi.
The summit placed the two countries’ shared Indo-Pacific ambitions at the centre of the agenda.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the leaders reaffirmed their intention to work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific and to deepen practical cooperation in pursuit of common goals.
The statement also voiced “grave concerns” over the use of economic coercion, language that appeared to allude to China.
It said the current international environment required Japan and India to promote more tangible cooperation, particularly in economic security.
Takaichi and Modi said Japan and India, as leading democracies and major economies, had a duty to help shape and uphold an international order that is free, open and based on the rule of law.
At a joint press conference after the bilateral summit, Takaichi said she wanted to raise Japan-India relations to a higher level.
Modi called for the two countries to work towards their shared ambition of global progress.
The economic package announced after the talks included documents covering about 120 cooperation projects between Japanese and Indian companies, with investments of around 2 trillion yen.
Security cooperation also featured prominently.
The two leaders agreed to promote collaboration on defence equipment and to hold a two-plus-two meeting of the two countries’ foreign and defence ministers by the end of the year.
Japan and India also adopted a joint declaration on economic security and agreed to strengthen supply chains for critical goods.
They further decided to launch a bilateral dialogue aimed at reinforcing India’s oil stockpiling system.
On energy, Japan confirmed support for India’s bid to become a member of the International Energy Agency.
Tokyo will also help India establish about 1,000 biogas plants to generate energy from cow dung.
The leaders also confirmed cooperation in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The two sides plan joint research and development on large language models and issued a separate joint document on cooperation in the AI sector.
The summit lasted about 90 minutes and was divided into a small-group session and an expanded meeting.
Takaichi and Modi also had lunch together.
Takaichi’s three-day visit to India began on Wednesday and forms part of the two countries’ reciprocal shuttle diplomacy.
It is her first trip to the South Asian nation since taking office last October.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
