'Free and open Indo-Pacific' top agenda of Modi-Takaichi talks in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi are expected to deepen cooperation in defence, semiconductors, critical minerals, supply chains and energy security

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold the India-Japan annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday here with ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ as a key focus area.

 

The two sides are expected to take steps to strengthen cooperation across ten sectors, including defence, semiconductors, critical minerals, more resilient supply chains, and energy security.

 

Tokyo has expressed interest in New Delhi’s efforts to augment India’s energy resilience by assisting in setting up its strategic oil and gas reserves.

 

India and Japan also hope to adopt measures to reduce their reliance on China on critical minerals.

 

 

According to a Nikkei newspaper report, India and Japan are also considering establishing a local currency settlement mechanism that would allow direct transactions between the yen and the rupee.

 

The two leaders will discuss further bolstering of mutually complementary cooperation under the ‘Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade,’ announced when Modi visited Japan in August 2025, in the areas of economic security including energy, as well as economic growth through investment and innovation.

 

Japan committed ¥10 trillion in private investments in India over the next 10 years in August, with several of these investments to be made in projects in the northeast region of the country. 

 

Takaichi-led delegation, which includes 50 Japanese business leaders, was earlier slated to hold talks with the Indian leadership in Guwahati, but the venue of the annual summit was shifted to New Delhi because of logistical issues.

 

As the two countries approach the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2027, cooperation continues to deepen across a wide range of sectors. The bilateral framework now comprises over 70 dialogue mechanisms.

 

Before leaving for New Delhi for her three-day visit, Takaichi said on Wednesday in Tokyo, “Cooperation with India, a nation with which we share the same fundamental values and strategic interests, is becoming increasingly important as geopolitical uncertainties deepen.”

 

“During this visit, I hope to work with Prime Minister Modi on furthering concrete cooperation on three areas: deepening strategic cooperation between Japan and India in the context of the broader international situation, furthering cooperation on economic security, and fostering collaboration to ensure businesses can invest and innovate,” she said.