New Delhi: India and Japan on Wednesday bolstered their collaboration in emerging technologies and health research, exchanging agreements in quantum science and medical devices during a high-level bilateral meeting in the national capital.
Japan's Minister for Science and Technology Policy and Minister of State for Space Policy, ONODA Kimi, led a high-level delegation to meet Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. Discussions centered on frontier technologies such as quantum science, artificial intelligence, health research, and advanced computing.
A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in health and medical devices was exchanged between the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Additionally, a Letter of Intent (LoI) on cooperation in Quantum Science and Technology was signed between Japan's Cabinet Office and DST.
The Ministry of Science and Technology stated that the engagement aimed to advance the India-Japan strategic partnership in "science, technology and innovation" with a strong focus on emerging and critical technologies.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Jitendra Singh remarked, "India and Japan share a natural synergy in science and technology. While Japan brings advanced technological capabilities, India offers a vast pool of talented human resources. Together, we can accelerate innovation in frontier areas and translate research into impactful societal outcomes." He added that India's growing emphasis on deep-tech sectors through national missions in Quantum Technologies, Cyber-Physical Systems, Electric Mobility, Clean Energy, and Advanced Computing is creating opportunities for joint research, co-development, and industrial partnerships.
The discussions built upon the outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan in August 2025, where both countries agreed to expand cooperation under the India-Japan Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership.
ONODA Kimi appreciated India's rapid economic growth and its strong commitment to innovation, particularly the large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors. She noted that her engagements with Indian academic institutions reflected a strong culture of resilience among young researchers, with the ability to learn from failure and continue pursuing innovation.
The Japanese side highlighted that the country's strengths in advanced manufacturing and computational technologies, including quantum and AI, align closely with India's growing technology ecosystem, according to the ministry.
Both sides discussed collaboration under India's National Quantum Mission, covering areas such as quantum computing, communication, sensing, and secure communication networks. Japan shared insights from its quantum innovation hubs and expressed interest in linking them with Indian institutions.
The discussions also covered researcher mobility programmes, joint innovation platforms, and industry internships for Indian researchers in Japan, aimed at strengthening academic and industrial partnerships between the two nations.
The ministry said both countries agreed to deepen engagement through researcher-to-researcher collaboration, institutional partnerships, and industry linkages to further strengthen India-Japan cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
