New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Japan on Thursday for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening economic and strategic cooperation between the two nations. The 15th India-Japan Annual Summit with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba will headline the visit, focusing on trade, technology, defence, and the Quad grouping, against the backdrop of rising tariff tensions with the United States.
According to Japan-based media platform Nikkei Asia, Tokyo has pledged an investment of 10 trillion yen (about $68 billion) in India over the next decade. The investment will span key sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green energy, environment, and medicine. Ahead of his arrival, PM Modi posted on X that India and Japan would strive to “give new wings” to bilateral ties by expanding collaboration in emerging technologies like AI and semiconductors.
The Quad alliance comprising India, Japan, the US, and Australia is also high on the agenda. The grouping is seen as a strategic counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. However, internal strains have emerged after the US imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods. Adding to the trade drama, Japan’s negotiator Ryosei Akazawa cancelled a visit to Washington at the last minute, delaying the finalisation of a $550 billion investment package Tokyo was offering the US to ease tariff tensions. While US President Donald Trump insisted that Washington should control 90% of the returns from the deal, Japan has stressed that the investment must be based on mutual benefits.
Beyond trade, Modi’s trip will also showcase collaboration in infrastructure and defence. He is scheduled to visit Tokyo’s Electron Factory and the Tohoku Shinkansen plant in Sendai, which manufactures bullet train coaches, as part of efforts to push forward Japan’s participation in India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. Defence cooperation is another key element, with discussions likely on enhancing naval ties, including ship maintenance in Indian facilities by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Following his engagements in Japan, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Tianjin, China, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The Japan visit highlights India’s delicate balancing act deepening ties with Tokyo and Quad allies, while simultaneously managing friction with Washington and engaging Beijing on the multilateral stage.
