Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday before holding the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders are expected to discuss strengthening strategic ties, economic security, investment, innovation, the Indo-Pacific region, and cooperation under the Quad framework.
Key Highlights
- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi accorded ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- PM Narendra Modi to hold the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit with Takaichi.
- Discussions to focus on strategic partnership, economic security, trade, investment and innovation.
- India and Japan reaffirm commitment to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and deeper Quad cooperation.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday, marking the beginning of high-level engagements during her three-day official visit to India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed his Japanese counterpart before the two leaders proceeded for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where they are expected to review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and discuss key regional and global developments.
The summit aims to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, with a strong emphasis on defence cooperation, economic security, technology, trade, investment, connectivity and innovation.
Takaichi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening and was received by Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh. Welcoming the visiting leader, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as an important milestone in advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Before departing Tokyo, Takaichi underlined the growing importance of collaboration with India amid the evolving global geopolitical landscape.
She said her discussions with Prime Minister Modi would focus on three major priorities—deepening the strategic partnership, enhancing cooperation in economic security, and expanding business collaboration through greater investment and innovation.
A major highlight of the visit is the Japan-India Joint Economic Forum, which will bring together representatives from more than 150 Japanese companies and business organisations to explore new avenues of trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region, Takaichi reaffirmed that India and Japan share the responsibility of maintaining peace, stability and a rules-based international order. She expressed her commitment to working closely with India to promote a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and deepen cooperation through the Quad framework.
The Japanese Prime Minister also said she hopes the visit will further strengthen personal trust and leadership-level engagement with Prime Minister Modi while expanding the long-standing partnership between the two democracies.
In addition to official meetings, Takaichi will participate in a business forum aimed at promoting stronger economic ties between Indian and Japanese industries. The visit marks her first official trip to India since assuming office as Prime Minister of Japan.
The visit of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi underscores the growing strategic importance of the India-Japan partnership at a time of evolving geopolitical and economic challenges. The summit is expected to deepen cooperation in defence, economic security, technology, trade and Indo-Pacific stability while opening new opportunities for business and investment between the two nations.
