Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday, 2 July 2025, held comprehensive bilateral talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, covering the full spectrum of India-Japan ties — from trade, defence, and energy to artificial intelligence and people-to-people exchanges. The 16th India-Japan Annual Summit produced three landmark joint documents and marked the first official India visit by Takaichi since she assumed office.

Three Landmark Documents Adopted

The two leaders adopted a Joint Declaration on Economic Security, a Joint Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence, and a Joint Statement on Energy Resilience. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides also witnessed the exchange of key memoranda of understanding and agreements spanning economic security, clean energy, critical technologies, and research and development.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a post on X, said: 'The talks delivered concrete progress on key priorities of our bilateral ties. Both sides adopted three landmark documents.' He added that both sides agreed on a list of activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

Historic First in Defence Co-Development

In a significant milestone for bilateral defence ties, Prime Minister Modi announced at a joint press conference that India and Japan have signed an agreement on their first-ever co-development project in the defence sector. 'In the field of defence, today we signed an agreement on the first co-development project between India and Japan,' Modi stated.

This marks a qualitative shift in the India-Japan defence relationship, moving beyond equipment procurement and technology transfers to collaborative development — a step that analysts have long viewed as a benchmark for mature strategic partnerships.

AI and Technology at the Core

Modi underscored the complementary strengths of the two nations in the technology domain. 'The convergence of Japan's precision technology and India's software capabilities will give fresh momentum and strength to the global development of AI,' he said. The dedicated joint statement on artificial intelligence cooperation signals that both governments view the technology as central to their long-term strategic alignment, not merely a commercial opportunity.

Notably, the AI and economic security frameworks adopted at this summit build on momentum from Modi's visit to Tokyo in August 2025 for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, reflecting a structured, year-on-year deepening of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Indo-Pacific and the Broader Strategic Message

Both leaders reaffirmed that a free, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is a shared priority. Modi drew a direct line from his remarks at the recent G7 Summit, stating: 'In today's atmosphere of global upheaval, mutual trust is our greatest strategic asset. I am proud that the India-Japan partnership stands tall on this touchstone.'

As two of the world's largest democracies and market economies in the Indo-Pacific region, India and Japan positioned themselves as anchors for regional stability — a framing that carries implicit strategic weight amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.

What Comes Next

This is Takaichi's first official visit to India since assuming the prime ministership, and its scope — three joint documents, multiple MoUs, a defence co-development agreement, and a bilateral anniversary roadmap — suggests both governments are accelerating the pace of engagement. The agreed activities for the 75th diplomatic anniversary are expected to unfold across the coming months, keeping the bilateral relationship in active focus through the year.