India–Japan ties deepen across strategic and economic fronts

New Delhi, Jan 23:  The India-Japan Foreign Ministers’ dialogue in New Delhi this month reflects the strengthening of the “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” between two Indo-Pacific heavyweights navigating geopolitical flux.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, reaffirmed the 'Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade' unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 2025 visit to Japan.

This timely parley coincides with the 10th anniversary of Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy, positioning India as its indispensable ally, while laying groundwork for the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, according to an article in India Narrative.

The ministers greenlit the “Japan-India Private-Sector Dialogue on Economic Security” for launch in the first quarter of 2026, zeroing in on five priority domains: semiconductors, critical minerals, information and communication technology (ICT), clean energy, and pharmaceuticals. These steps aim to de-risk global dependencies, ensuring stable flows of rare earths for batteries and chips essential to both economies, the article points out.

In artificial intelligence, the Japan-India AI Cooperation Initiative (JAI) received fresh impetus with the establishment of a dedicated “Japan-India AI Strategic Dialogue” to hammer out tangible collaborations.

Regionally, the two countries recommitted to Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) mechanisms — encompassing Japan, India, Australia, and the United States — to uphold FOIP principles, while pledging closer coordination on North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations. They also resolved to invigorate the Japan-India Act East Forum for enhanced connectivity in India’s Northeast, institute a novel policy dialogue framework on South Asia, and align on global governance reforms at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

By reaffirming Quad cooperation, the ministers underscored shared priorities in maritime domain awareness, secure sea lines of communication, and resilient infrastructure, ensuring an inclusive regional architecture that invites rather than excludes partners like ASEAN nations, the article added.

Economic security initiatives directly buttress FOIP’s prosperity pillar, promoting transparent supply chains and innovation ecosystems that counteract opaque financing models. The Act East Forum’s revival promises Japanese technical and financial assistance for rail, digital, and energy links in India’s Northeast, fostering cross-border connectivity with Southeast Asia and diluting adversarial influences via Myanmar.

Collectively, these measures project a vision of openness, where freedom of navigation, fair trade, and ethical technology standards prevail over zero-sum dominance, the article added.

--IANS