Let me begin by paying my respects to those who lost their lives in the earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto on 28 July, on behalf of the Government and people of India.
On August 15, India marks 80 years of independence, eight decades in which the nation has grown into one of the world’s largest and most dynamic economies, and a confident voice on the global stage.
On this important occasion, I extend warm greetings to their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress of Japan, and to the Government and the people of Japan. I also convey my special greetings to the Indian community in Japan.
This milestone year also sets the stage for another one just ahead: 2027 will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. Our leaders have announced that we will commemorate the year as the “Year of Shared Horizons.”
India and Japan are anchored in a Special Strategic and Global Partnership built on shared democratic values and deep mutual trust.
This relationship is further reinforced by the close convergence between the updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI), and Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).
Building Economic Momentum
This spirit of partnership was on full display when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi traveled to New Delhi from July 1–3, 2026, receiving a warm welcome from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India, where we not only reaffirmed our shared strategic vision but also advanced concrete cooperation across a range of fields, including economy and economic security, energy resilience, artificial intelligence, and beyond.
The spirit of India-Japan partnership is matched by considerable momentum on the economic front. In 2025, we set a private investment target of ¥10 trillion in India over the next decade, and by July 2026, 120 Business-to-Business MOUs had already been signed, resulting in an aggregate investment of around $10 billion.
For four consecutive years, JBIC surveys have ranked India as Japan Inc.’s most promising destination for overseas business expansion, underscoring the confidence Japanese industry places in India’s economic trajectory and its Viksit Bharat vision for 2047.
India’s own commitment to this relationship is reflected in Prime Minister Modi’s recent announcement to hold a Japan Week at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Economic security is a foundational pillar of our relationship. This was reflected in the visit to India in May 2026 by Japan’s Minister-in-Charge of Economic Security, Ms. Kimi Onoda, and cemented at the July Summit with the adoption of the Japan-India Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation.
The Declaration advances tangible, project-based collaboration in five priority sectors: semiconductors, critical minerals, information and communication technology, clean energy and pharmaceuticals.
Advancing AI and Innovation
Technology and innovation also form a core strand of the partnership. Prime Minister Takaichi’s video message to India’s AI Impact Summit in February 2026 underscored the deepening collaboration.
Work spans the full AI stack, from physical infrastructure to applications for public good, supported by institutional linkages that encourage Japanese firms to expand AI-related R&D and industry partnerships in India, while creating research, internship and employment pathways.
This builds on the goal of inviting 500 highly skilled Indian AI professionals to Japan by 2030 and promoting joint research.
Further, we are committed to strengthening AI cooperation together with like-minded partners, to advance resilient and inclusive AI development across the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, reaffirming the vision of “AI for All” advocated by the New Delhi Declaration at the AI Impact Summit.
On the energy front, we are advancing cooperation on strategic stockpiling and reserve mechanisms for crude oil and petroleum products, as reflected in the Joint Statement on Energy Resilience adopted at the 2026 Summit.
We are also exploring joint investments across the maritime energy transport value chain to ensure resilient and efficient oil and gas flows, while strengthening the collective voice of major energy-consuming nations on issues of supply security, affordability and volatility mitigation.
We are also making strides in our clean-energy partnership, as reflected in the launch of the Japan-India Cooperative Biogas for Growth Initiative (CBG Initiative).
Deepening Defence Cooperation
Defence cooperation is also on an upward trajectory, spanning Defence Equipment and Technology projects, exercises like Dharma Guardian 2026 and JAIMEX-25, and Japan’s participation in India’s February 2026 International Fleet Review.
People-to-people exchanges also continue to strengthen for mutual benefit, guided by the Action Plan for India-Japan Human Resource Exchange, which aims to facilitate a two-way movement of 500,000 people, including 50,000 skilled and semi-skilled Indian professionals to Japan, by 2030.
In the background, high-level engagements continue: our Foreign Ministers held substantive talks during the bilateral strategic dialogue in January 2026 and again at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May 2026, and also met on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in March 2026.
Our partnership is further strengthened at the sub-national level, with initiatives like the India-Japan Governors’ Network for Friendship and Exchange and the Japan-India Mayors’ Alliance for Co-creation extending ties beyond our national capitals.
What India and Japan achieve together carries considerable significance for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Our cooperation, grounded in mutual complementarity, remains the key to advancing both nations’ priorities and building a resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
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Author: H.E. Ambassador Nagma M. Mallick
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