Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a series of agreements Thursday to deepen cooperation in defense, economic and maritime security. The pacts follow talks in New Delhi aimed at bolstering their partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.
Modi stated that the two nations will collaborate on naval radio antenna systems and have adopted a joint road map on economic security. He also noted an agreement to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, shipbuilding, biogas, semiconductors, and critical technologies. "India and Japan view economic security as a shared security interest," Modi said.
Takaichi's visit to New Delhi marks the 16th annual India-Japan summit. The agreements come as both countries seek to enhance their collaboration in the Indo-Pacific, a region where China's influence has been growing.
Japan and India are part of the Quad, a quadrilateral security dialogue that also includes Australia and the United States. This group promotes cooperation on regional security, maritime issues, and defense.
Takaichi emphasized a shared commitment to Japan's initiative for a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is based on freedom of navigation and respect for international law. "Expansion of maritime security cooperation is especially important for regional peace and stability," she said.
In response to questions about the initiative, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun commented Thursday that some countries promote "freedom and openness" while pursuing "confrontation and division." He stated that such actions counter the region's desire for peace, development, and cooperation, adding, "Asia-Pacific needs stability, not turmoil; focus on cooperation, not division."
Japan is a significant foreign investor in India, supporting major infrastructure projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line. Approximately 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India, with nearly half in the manufacturing sector. Bilateral trade reached $27.5 billion in India's 2025-26 fiscal year, and Japanese investment totaled $3.2 billion between April and December 2025, according to Indian government data. Last year, Japan pledged to more than double its investment in India to over $61 billion in the next decade.