Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the first in-person meeting between the two leaders since Takaichi took office.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said: “Had a productive meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan. We discussed ways to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in areas such as innovation, defence, talent mobility and more. We are also looking to enhance trade ties between our nations. A strong India-Japan partnership is vital for a better planet.”
The two leaders reaffirmed the significance of the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, noting that it is anchored in shared values, longstanding ties and a mutual commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. They reiterated their intention to deepen cooperation for regional and global peace, prosperity and stability.
PM Modi and Takaichi reviewed progress since the 15th India–Japan Annual Summit and stressed the need for swift implementation of agreements across defence and security, trade and investment, SMEs, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, semiconductors, infrastructure, technology and innovation, and people-to-people exchanges. Takaichi also conveyed strong support for the AI Summit India will host in February 2026.
The two leaders discussed opportunities for collaboration in key strategic sectors and exchanged views on regional and global developments. Both emphasized that India and Japan remain trusted partners whose close ties are vital for stability in the region and beyond.
They agreed to remain in touch and meet again at the earliest opportunity.
Earlier, PM Modi had spoken to Takaichi on October 29 to congratulate her on becoming Japan’s first female Prime Minister and to discuss plans to advance the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
