PM Modi lands in Tokyo to deepen India-Japan partnership, business talks top agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tokyo on August 29 for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening India-Japan economic and strategic cooperation. The visit, his eighth to Japan since taking office, marks the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit and his first bilateral engagement with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Ahead of his departure, Modi described the trip as an opportunity to advance “civilisational bonds and cultural ties” while laying out an ambitious agenda for the future of the Special Strategic and Global Partnership. “We would endeavour to give new wings to our collaboration, expand the scope and ambition of our economic and investment ties, and advance cooperation in new and emerging technologies, including AI and semiconductors,” he said.

India-Japan ties already rest on a strong economic foundation. Nearly 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India through around 5,000 establishments, while over 100 Indian firms have a footprint in Japan. Japan is India’s fifth-largest source of foreign direct investment, with cumulative inflows of $43.2 billion as of December 2024. Bilateral trade has also remained steady, touching $22.8 billion in 2023–24 and $21 billion in the current fiscal year up to January.

Modi is expected to hold detailed discussions with Japanese business leaders during the visit to boost investment in sectors ranging from infrastructure to high technology. The focus will be on creating new opportunities for growth, building supply chain resilience, and fostering joint innovation in emerging industries.

The Prime Minister was given a warm welcome by the Indian diaspora in Tokyo. “Deeply touched by the warmth and affection of the Indian community here in Tokyo,” Modi said, acknowledging their role in preserving India’s cultural heritage while contributing to Japanese society.

Japan has long been one of India’s closest strategic partners in Asia. Bilateral ties were elevated to a Global Partnership in 2000, a Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006, and further upgraded to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. Modi and Ishiba last met at the ASEAN Summit in Laos last October and again at the G7 Summit in Canada this June.

The Tokyo leg of the Prime Minister’s foreign tour will be followed by a visit to Tianjin, China, where he will attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on August 31–September 1. He is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit.