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31-08-2025
TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed on Friday to deepen economic and security ties as New Delhi confronts new US tariffs and Tokyo looks to counter China’s growing influence.
“Japan and India should draw on each other’s strengths, help solve each other’s challenges, and even tackle together the issues that future generations will face,” Ishiba said at a joint press announcement with Modi after talks in Tokyo.
The two leaders pledged to boost defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific over the next decade, strengthen supply chains and investment and expand collaboration in AI, space, high-speed rail and other technologies. They also agreed to widen skilled worker exchanges.
Japan said it was targeting 10 trillion yen ($67.9 billion) of private-sector investment in India.
Japan and India have drawn closer as China’s regional influence has grown. Both are members of the Quad grouping along with the United States and Australia.
“India and Japan are fully committed to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. We have similar concerns about terrorism and cyber security. We have common interests in defence and maritime security”, Modi said.
Modi’s visit to Japan is part of a broader push to strengthen India’s diplomatic ties and win support for his “Make in India” initiative as New Delhi battles the fallout from tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday the US raised import levies on Indian goods to as much as 50%, with a punitive 25% tariff slapped on India for purchasing Russian oil.
After Japan, Modi travels to China, his first visit there in seven years, for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization regional security bloc. He is expected to meet both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads overseas on Thursday to meet the leaders of China, Japan and Russia, seeking to build closer diplomatic ties as New Delhi battles fallout from US President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff offensive.
By drawing nearer to some of the world’s largest economies, including his first visit to China in seven years, Modi hopes to boost support for his flagship “Make in India” initiative, mainly from Japan, as Trump’s measures spur new partnerships.
“This will be an opportunity to launch several new initiatives to build greater resilience in the relationship and to respond to emerging opportunities and challenges,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said of the Japan visit.
While New Delhi says it is relying on talks to resolve Trump’s additional tariffs of up to 50% on Indian exports, Japan’s top trade negotiator cancelled a US visit over a snag in the two nations’ tariff deal.
Modi’s visit to Japan on Friday and Saturday gains significance as both belong to the Quad grouping, along with Australia and the United States, which seeks to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Despite strained ties with Washington, India said Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would discuss expanding cooperation within the framework of the regional security grouping.
Japanese companies are set to invest up to 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) in India in the next decade, public broadcaster NHK said, as Suzuki Motor (7269.T), opens new tab pledged to pump in about $8 billion over the next five to six years.
The two nations were partners “made for each other, opens new tab”, Modi said this week, after visiting a Suzuki plant in India. (Int’l News Desk)
