16th India-Japan Annual Summit

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on her maiden three-day visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit. Both sides review progress under their Special Strategic and Global Partnership and discuss bilateral cooperation, along with regional and global issues.

16th India-Japan Annual Summit and Partnership Mechanisms:

Dimension	Key Details
Summit mechanism	The India-Japan Annual Summit is a mechanism established in 2006.
Meeting pattern	Under the Annual Summit mechanism, the two prime ministers meet every year, alternating as host.
Summit agenda	The summit provides for reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional and global issues.
Business engagement during visit	During the three-day visit, PM Takaichi is accompanied by a large business delegation, and both leaders attend business events.
Visit focus (Japan’s framing)	Japan’s foreign ministry frames the visit as focused on trade, investment, and strategic cooperation.
Economic presence	Around 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India, with nearly half in manufacturing.
Bilateral trade	Bilateral trade reaches $27.5 billion in 2025-26.
Japanese investment flow	Japanese investment in India rises to $3.2 billion between April and December 2025.
Major project backing	Japan is among India’s largest investors, backing projects including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor.
Recent investment deal	Recent deals include a $1.6 billion investment for a 20% stake in Yes Bank.
Quad membership	India and Japan comprise members of the Quad along with the US and Australia.
Quad-related cooperation	Within the Quad, India and Japan have steadily expanded defence and strategic collaboration.
Discussed strategic themes	The two countries discuss security cooperation and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Leaders’ multilateral engagement	Modi and Takaichi have met earlier at the 52nd G7 Summit in France to discuss economic cooperation.
Eight key pillars	The relationship comprises eight key pillars: economy, economic security, mobility, environment, technology and innovation, healthcare, people-to-people exchanges, and state-prefecture engagement.
State-prefecture engagements (2025-26)	In 2025-26, the Chief Ministers of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh visit Japan, and several Japanese prefecture governors visit India.
India-Japan Governors Network	The India-Japan Governors Network has been launched in February 2026.
North-East institutional mechanism	India-Japan Act East Forum is a dedicated institutional mechanism for developing the North-East.
North-East cooperation sectors	Under the Act East Forum, the two partner on infrastructure, urban renewal, energy, agriculture, tourism, and skills.
Recent North-East engagements	Recent engagements include prefecture delegations visiting Manipur, and an MoU with Meghalaya to skill and employ 5,000 youth.
Partnership evolution milestones	The formal evolution comprises: 2000 Global Partnership; 2006 Strategic and Global Partnership; 2014 Special Strategic and Global Partnership (Modi–Abe Summit).
Diplomatic relations anniversary	The two countries approach the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Dialogue mechanisms scale	The bilateral framework includes over 70 dialogue mechanisms, with regular high-level engagement at the level of Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, NSA, and others.
Key bilateral dialogue formats	Key mechanisms include the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, the Economic Security Dialogue, and the Act East Forum.
Economic Security Dialogue priorities	At the 1st Economic Security Dialogue (Tokyo, November 2024), the two sides identify five priority sectors: semiconductors, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and ICT.
MoC on Mineral Resources	A Memorandum of Cooperation on Mineral Resources is signed in August 2025, and the first joint working group has been held virtually in 2026.
MoC on semiconductor supply chains	A Memorandum of Cooperation on Semiconductor Supply Chains is signed in July 2023.
AI cooperation	Japan-India AI Cooperation Initiative is in 2025, and the 1st Strategic AI Dialogue has been held this year.
Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation	A Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation is signed at the August 2025 summit.
Bilateral and multilateral exercises	Defence exercises comprise bilateral exercises JAIMEX, Dharma Guardian, Veer Guardian, and Coast Guard drills, and multilateral exercises MALABAR and MILAN.
Defence technology transfer	Defence technology transfer includes the UNICORN Mast under a Memorandum of Implementation (November 2024).