Summary
- India and Japan on Thursday signed a series of agreements to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, metals, energy and defence, while also preparing a joint roadmap for economic security.
- Her visit follows Modi’s trip to Tokyo last year, when Japan pledged to more than double its investment in India to over $61 billion within the next decade.
- Bilateral trade between the two nations reached $27.5 billion in fiscal year 2025/26, while Japanese investment in India stood at $3.2 billion between April and December 2025, according to official data.
India and Japan on Thursday signed a series of agreements to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, metals, energy and defence, while also preparing a joint roadmap for economic security. The accords were finalised after talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is on a three-day visit to New Delhi.
“Japan and India will leverage each other’s strengths to grow strong and prosperous together,” Takaichi told reporters, stressing the importance of building a mutually complementary relationship amid global turbulence. Her visit follows Modi’s trip to Tokyo last year, when Japan pledged to more than double its investment in India to over $61 billion within the next decade.
Bilateral trade between the two nations reached $27.5 billion in fiscal year 2025/26, while Japanese investment in India stood at $3.2 billion between April and December 2025, according to official data.
The Indian foreign ministry said the two leaders held wide-ranging talks covering trade, investment, energy, emerging technologies, defence and people-to-people exchanges. Three landmark documents were adopted on economic security, energy resilience and AI. Modi highlighted the synergy between Japan’s precision technology and India’s software capabilities, saying it would give new momentum to global AI development.
The leaders also signed their first defence co-development pact, marking a significant step in strategic cooperation. Both countries are members of the Quad grouping alongside Australia and the United States, widely seen as a counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Japan remains one of India’s largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor. Japanese firms have also expanded investments in Indian companies, including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20 percent stake in Yes Bank.
Takaichi is accompanied by a large business delegation and is scheduled to address a business conference later in the day, underscoring the economic dimension of her visit.
