Prime Minister Narendra Modi held significant discussions with his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi during the G20 Summit on Sunday, marking their first meeting since she assumed leadership of Japan in October. The bilateral talks focused on strengthening strategic cooperation across multiple sectors between the two Asian nations.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership
The meeting between the two leaders reinforced the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, which rests on shared values, civilizational connections, and mutual commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Both leaders emphasized the vital importance of this partnership for global peace and stability.
During their productive discussion, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the comprehensive nature of their dialogue, stating they explored methods to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in crucial areas including innovation, defense capabilities, and talent mobility between the two countries.
Expanding Economic and Technological Cooperation
The leaders dedicated substantial attention to enhancing trade relations between their nations. Prime Minister Modi emphasized that a strong India-Japan partnership is essential for planetary betterment, underscoring the global significance of their collaboration.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs press release, both leaders acknowledged the steady progress in bilateral relations achieved during the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. They called for accelerated implementation of agreements across diverse sectors including defense and security, trade and investment, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, semiconductors, and infrastructure development.
Future-Focused Initiatives and Investments
Prime Minister Takaichi expressed strong support for the AI Summit that India is scheduled to host in February 2026, highlighting Japan's commitment to technological collaboration. This endorsement comes at a crucial time when both nations are positioning themselves as global leaders in emerging technologies.
The meeting builds upon Prime Minister Modi's visit to Japan in August this year, during which both countries solidified 13 key agreements and declarations. Notably, they adopted the India-Japan Joint Vision for the Next Decade, setting an ambitious new target of JPY 10 trillion (approximately USD 68 billion) in private Japanese investment for India's future development.
This new investment goal significantly expands upon the previous 2022-2026 target of JPY 5 trillion in combined public and private investment from Japan to India. The enhanced vision demonstrates the growing strategic alignment between the two nations, particularly in clean energy and cutting-edge technologies that will shape the global economic landscape in the coming years.
