Modi, Takaichi unveil AI, semiconductor roadmap to deepen India-Japan strategic partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held summit talks with his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi.Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held summit talks with his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, with the two leaders focusing on expanding economic ties, strengthening semiconductor supply chains and deepening cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, Business Standard reported.Welcoming Takaichi to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, Modi described her visit as the beginning of a “new chapter” in the strategic partnership between the two countries.The two sides announced a joint statement on cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), signalling a stronger focus on technology collaboration.He added that technology would become the strongest pillar of bilateral ties.“Prime Minister Takaichi and I believe that a technology partnership will become the strongest pillar of our cooperation.

To realise this vision, we have issued a joint statement today in the field of artificial intelligence (AI),” Modi said.Modi said several leading institutions from India's AI ecosystem also signed agreements with Japanese partners, adding that Japan's precision technology and India's software capabilities would together accelerate global AI development.Addressing a joint press briefing after the talks, Modi said India and Japan, among the world’s largest economies, share a common commitment to a free, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific.Modi said India and Japan reaffirmed that a free, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific remains a shared priority.

As the region's two major democratic and market economies, he said the initiatives announced during the summit would contribute to peace, stability and progress across the Indo-Pacific.In defence, the two countries agreed on their first co-development project, with a signed agreement for the Naval Radio Antenna programme.

Modi said the project would mark a new chapter in India-Japan defence technology cooperation and that both countries would jointly develop defence technologies to strengthen regional peace, maritime security, and a rules-based order.India and Japan announced several initiatives in the energy sector, including the India-Japan Bio-gas Initiative, which Modi said would support the establishment of 1,000 biogas and organic fertiliser plants in India.He said the initiative would strengthen India's GOBARdhan programme while supporting sustainability, prosperity and rural livelihoods.

The two countries also launched an initiative on energy resilience to address disruptions such as oil shocks and agreed to deepen cooperation in batteries, green hydrogen and nuclear energy.The two leaders also unveiled the India-Japan Next Generation Mobility Partnership Framework.

Modi said the framework would build on the success of cooperation in the automotive sector and expand collaboration into shipbuilding, aviation and logistics.The two countries prepared a Joint Roadmap on economic security to strengthen cooperation in strategic sectors.

Modi said the roadmap would focus on enhancing supply chain resilience in semiconductors, quantum technologies and advanced materials.Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from July 1 to 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.