Japanese PM says strategic partnership will enter a new phase with stronger defence, maritime and economic cooperation…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday said India and Japan are committed to strengthening their Special Strategic and Global Partnership “as brother and sister”, stressing that the two countries must deepen cooperation to navigate an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit at Hyderabad House, Takaichi thanked Modi for the warm welcome and said she was delighted by his affectionate reference to her as his “beautiful younger sister”.
She said the symbolism reflected the close ties between the two nations and their shared commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation.
“Japan and India must leverage our respective strengths to become stronger and more prosperous together. In the midst of international affairs in disarray, the establishment of such an inter-complementary cooperative relationship has become ever more important,” Takaichi said.
The Japanese Prime Minister said the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions and identified three key pillars for advancing the bilateral partnership.
The first, she said, was to deepen strategic cooperation, with both countries sharing a common vision for maintaining a rules-based international order.
Referring to Japan’s updated vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), Takaichi said it complements Prime Minister Modi’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative.
“Prime Minister Modi positions the ocean as a shared space that supports regional stability and growth… which is perfectly aligned with FOIP,” she said.
She also underscored the importance of expanding maritime security cooperation, revealing that a Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyer and an Indian Navy warship would conduct a joint exercise during her visit.
Takaichi said the two countries would further enhance naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, strengthen cooperation in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of naval platforms, and expand defence equipment collaboration under India’s Make in India initiative.
Highlighting economic cooperation, she said Japan strongly supports Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat and shares India’s ambition of achieving sustainable growth through future-oriented investments.
Looking ahead to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2027, Takaichi expressed confidence that the partnership would enter a new phase.
“Under the India-Japan Special Strategic Global Partnership, as trusted partners that share strategic direction, together with my bigger brother, Prime Minister Modi, I believe the India-Japan relations are going forward to a new phase. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi in Japan next time,” she said.
