Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a two-day official visit to Japan to attend the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, marking his first standalone visit to Japan in nearly seven years. The visit, scheduled from August 29 to 30, comes at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This summit aims to strengthen the strategic, economic, and technological cooperation between the two nations.
During the summit, Modi and Ishiba will review the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and discuss ways to advance the "next phase" of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership, which has steadily grown over the past 11 years. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in trade, technology, energy, defense, and people-to-people exchanges. Both leaders are also expected to reaffirm their commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. They are also expected to upgrade the 2008 Declaration on Security Cooperation, including defense hardware purchases.
Several key areas of cooperation are expected to be highlighted during the visit. Strengthening the Indo-Pacific strategy through the QUAD alliance, which includes India, Japan, Australia, and the United States, will be a significant focus. Discussions will also revolve around public health, supply chains, critical technologies, and infrastructure. In addition, the leaders are expected to launch an “Economic Security” initiative to build resilient supply chains in areas such as critical minerals and Artificial Intelligence.
Defense ties between India and Japan have been steadily growing, with joint military exercises like MALABAR, JIMEX, and Dharma Guardian. Agreements on defense technology transfer, logistics, and information sharing have further strengthened security cooperation. Both navies are also exploring partnerships in ship maintenance and technology.
Economic relations between India and Japan are also a crucial aspect of the partnership. Bilateral trade stood at USD 22.85 billion in FY 2023–24. India exports chemicals, vehicles, aluminum, and seafood to Japan, while importing machinery, steel, copper, and electronics. Japan is one of India's key economic partners and the fifth-largest source of foreign direct investment, with $43.2 billion in cumulative investment up to December 2024. Japan is also expected to announce new opportunities for Indian professionals in the semiconductor industry.
One of the key highlights of the dialogue will be the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, with Japan committing an investment of Rs 88,000 crore in this high-speed rail project. Modi and Ishiba will also travel together on a bullet train during the visit. Japan is also poised to invest 10 trillion yen (approximately $68 billion) in India over the next decade, focusing on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and medical innovation.
PM Modi is also expected to meet with some members of the Indian diaspora in Japan, which numbers around 54,000. At the India-Japan Summit, the two sides will release a joint statement as well as the “2035 Vision Statement” for the future of the relationship, upgrading the 2025 Vision Statement announced by Mr. Modi and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a decade ago.
Following his Japan visit, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. On the sidelines of the summit, he is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
