Modi’s Japan Visit: Deepening India-Japan Ties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Tokyo for a two-day official visit, marking a pivotal moment in the deepening of India-Japan relations. The visit, which includes the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, is his first standalone trip to Japan in seven years and his first summit with the newly-appointed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The discussions are poised to elevate the “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” between the two nations, with a strong focus on security, technology, and economic collaboration.

Upon his arrival, Prime Minister Modi expressed his confidence that the visit would not only advance India’s national interests but also contribute to regional and global peace and stability. In a statement released before his departure, he highlighted the steady progress of the bilateral partnership over the past decade and emphasized the need to “give new wings to our collaboration.” The agenda for the summit is extensive and covers a wide spectrum of issues, from defense and security to trade, technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

A key highlight of the visit is the anticipated upgrade of the 2008 ‘Declaration on Security Cooperation’. Given the evolving geopolitical landscape, this move is expected to bolster joint defense exercises, facilitate technology transfers, and address new security challenges, including in areas like economic security, critical minerals, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. The two sides are also expected to discuss the co-development of defense equipment, a significant step forward in their partnership.

Economically, the visit is set to open new avenues for collaboration. The discussions are expected to focus on expanding trade and investment ties, with reports suggesting that Japan may announce a fresh public and private investment target of up to JPY 10 trillion in India over the coming decade. This builds upon the previous target of JPY 5 trillion, which has been achieved. The two leaders are also expected to launch new initiatives in critical and emerging sectors, including a digital partnership on semiconductors and AI. Prime Minister Modi’s itinerary includes a tour of a Japanese semiconductor factory, underscoring the high priority placed on this sector.

In addition to the official summit, the visit will also strengthen cultural and civilizational bonds. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to engage with Japanese political and business leaders, as well as interact with the Indian diaspora in Japan. The visit also provides an opportunity to review the progress of ongoing mega-projects, most notably the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail, which is a flagship symbol of the technological partnership between the two countries.

From Japan, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Tianjin, China, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin. This multi-leg tour underscores India’s dynamic and multi-faceted foreign policy, which aims to strengthen key bilateral relationships while actively participating in crucial multilateral forums.

The visit to Japan is seen as a crucial step in reinforcing the shared strategic vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. With both nations deeply committed to this vision, the outcomes of the summit are expected to have a lasting impact on regional stability and global cooperation.