Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Japan from August 29-30 to participate in the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. This will be his eighth visit to Japan and the first summit with Japan’s Prime Minister H.E. Shigeru Ishiba.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted the importance of the summit, saying: “Our bilateral relations have expanded steadily in scope and ambition over the last decade, and today comprise trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, infrastructure and mobility, people-to-people contact, and vibrant cultural engagement between the two sides.”

According to media reports, a key agenda is high-speed rail cooperation. The leaders aim to agree on a deal for the next-generation E10 Series Shinkansen for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train corridor. An inspection is planned at a manufacturing plant in Miyagi prefecture.

Japan has already agreed to provide India with retired E5 and E3 Shinkansen trains for testing, with partial commissioning expected in 2027–28. Japan is also set to launch a 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) private investment initiative over the next decade, covering sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, AI, essential minerals, communications, and pharmaceuticals.

Defence cooperation is another major focus. India and Japan are co-developing the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) project, which will serve as a common radar mast for Indian Navy platforms. India signed a memorandum for implementation in November 2024.

Discussions between DRDO and ATLA continue on technology transfer and collaboration, while the Indian and Japanese navies explore joint work on ship maintenance. Misri noted that these agendas are constantly updated to deepen strategic and defence ties.

With 50% US tariffs taking effect on August 27, India’s exports may face challenges. Japan’s infrastructure investments are expected to help diversify India’s export markets. As of January 2025, India’s total trade with Japan stood at $21 billion, with a $10.8 billion trade deficit.

India is also seeking to upgrade the 2008 Declaration on Security Cooperation, expand policy dialogues, and strengthen technology transfer. The summit is a step toward resilient supply chains ahead of the Quad summit later in 2025.

After Japan, PM Modi will travel to China from August 31 to September 1 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. The visit will also commemorate the 80th anniversary of the World’s Anti-Fascist War victory and the founding of the United Nations.

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