Deepening strategic ties with India amid global uncertainty: Japan’s Takaichi

Underlining that she intends to deepen her country’s strategic ties with India in this time of “growing uncertainty in the international situation”, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reached New Delhi Wednesday evening on a three-day visit, her first to India after entering office last year.

Takaichi was received by Union MoS Dr Jitendra Singh, who later posted on X saying, “The visit assumes special significance in the backdrop of growing strategic partnership between the two countries.”

With economic security as the overarching theme, Takaichi’s visit is expected to boost investment and innovation opportunities, and help build resilient supply chains in areas such as semiconductors and critical minerals.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Takaichi will take part in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, a mechanism established in 2006 under which the Prime Ministers of the two countries meet annually.

Japan PM Sanae Takaichi (left) was received by MoS Dr Jitendra Singh. (Photo: X/@MEAIndia)

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit will “strengthen relations with India, which is of utmost importance for the realisation of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. Delhi and Tokyo share a deep strategic convergence on a free and open Indo-Pacific, driven by mutual interests amid China’s growing assertions in the region.

Speaking at an informal press conference in Tokyo before leaving for New Delhi, Takaichi said she intends to “advance concrete cooperation” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

ようこそ、インドへ, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi!

A very warm welcome to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan who arrives in New Delhi on an Official Visit. PM Takaichi was received by MoS @DrJitendraSingh.

The visit marks an important step in taking forward the Special… pic.twitter.com/N4mvBcWvu4

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 1, 2026

“Amid growing uncertainty in the international situation, the importance of collaboration with India, which shares fundamental values and strategic interests, is only increasing,” she said.

“In this context, through this visit, taking into account the current international situation, I intend to advance concrete cooperation with Prime Minister Modi, centring on three points: deepening the strategic cooperative relationship between Japan and India, promoting cooperation in economic security, and fostering collaboration between companies of both countries toward investment and innovation,” she said.

Privileged to receive and welcome Her Excellency Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of #Japan, on behalf of the Govt of India, on her arrival at Palam Technical Airport, New Delhi, late this evening, on a 3-day visit to India where her engagements include the “15th India–Japan Annual… pic.twitter.com/mrCRQ45CjL

— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) July 1, 2026

Diplomatic sources said the focus during Takaichi’s visit will also be on boosting maritime security, defence technology cooperation, and developing an ‘Industrial Value Chain’ connecting the Bay of Bengal with North-East India.

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India and Japan are also expected to make progress on energy security and in tackling supply chain disruptions in the wake of the West Asia crisis.

The summit follows Modi’s visit to Tokyo in August 2025 for the 15th edition, during which the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation across strategic, economic, technological and security domains.

A large business delegation is accompanying Takaichi, and the two Prime Ministers will also attend business events with executives from both countries. According to government statistics, around 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India, with nearly half of them in the manufacturing sector.

Japan is among India’s largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai ‌and Ahmedabad. Japanese firms have also increased investments in Indian companies, including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20% stake in Yes Bank.

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A Japan-India Economic Forum is also scheduled after delegation-level talks between the two sides Thursday, with the participation of more than 150 individuals from Japan’s business community.

“By uniting government and private sectors, we aim to broaden the scope of Japan-India cooperation and realise a strong economy,” Takaichi said.

Her visit, sources said, aims to boost economic growth through investment and innovation. The focus will be on strengthening economic security. Bilateral trade touched $27.5 billion in 2025-26, with Japanese investment in India ‌going up to $3.2 billion between April and December 2025.

Expected outcome documents include a joint statement on the annual summit, energy resilience, and MoUs covering sectors like AI, pharmaceuticals, batteries and critical minerals.

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Emphasising the strategic significance of the bilateral partnership, Takaichi said both India and Japan, as major democratic nations in Asia, share the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

“India, like Japan, as a major democratic country in Asia, bears responsibility for achieving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. In that regard, I intend to firmly discuss with Prime Minister Modi efforts toward realising a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’, including the framework of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India,” she said.

A special partnership

India and Japan upgraded their ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan last year, the two sides had charted a roadmap for the next decade, raising the Japanese investment target in India to 10 trillion yen, launching initiatives on economic security cooperation, digital partnership and AI, and a new mobility partnership.