India, Japan sign pacts on AI, metals and energy after Modi-Takaichi talks

NEW DELHI: India and Japan agreed on Thursday to boost cooperation in artificial intelligence, metals, energy and defence as well as prepare a joint roadmap for economic security, as the Asian nations sought to further strengthen their ties.

The agreements were ​signed after talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi, who is on ​a three-day visit to New Delhi.

"Japan and India will leverage each other's strengths to ⁠grow strong and prosperous together," Takaichi told reporters after the talks. "Amid a turbulent international landscape, ​building such a mutually complementary cooperative relationship has become increasingly important."

Her visit follows a trip by Modi ​to Tokyo last year, when Japan pledged to more than double its investment in India to more than $61 billion over the next decade, highlighting deepening economic ties.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $27.5 billion in fiscal year 2025/26, ​while Japanese investment in India was $3.2 billion between April and December 2025, according to Indian government ​data.

First defence co-development pact

The two leaders held "wide-ranging talks on the full spectrum of India-Japan ties, including trade and investment, ‌economic ⁠security, energy, emerging technologies, defence and people-to-people exchanges", the Indian foreign ministry said.

Both sides adopted three "landmark" documents on economic security, energy resilience and AI, it added.

"The convergence of Japan's precision technology and India's software capabilities will give a new momentum and strength to global AI development," Modi told reporters.

Neither prime ​minister took questions.

Modi said ​the two countries, which are ⁠also members of the Quad grouping, signed an agreement on their first co-development project in the defence sector. Australia and the US are the other two members ​of the Quad grouping, which is widely seen as a bloc formed ​to counter ⁠China's rising influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan is among India's largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Japanese firms have also increased investments in ⁠Indian companies, ​including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20% stake ​in Yes Bank.

Takaichi is accompanied by a large business delegation and is due to speak at a business conference later on ​Thursday.