New Delhi: Narendra Modi on Thursday described his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as his younger sister. During this, the two countries signed their first defence co-development agreement and announced several important initiatives aimed at further strengthening their special strategic and global partnership.
Addressing a joint press conference after the talks at the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, PM Modi welcomed Takaichi on her maiden visit to India as the Prime Minister of Japan. He said that this visit marks the beginning of a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the two countries. PM Modi said, "I welcome my younger sister Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi on her maiden visit to India for the India-Japan Annual Summit. She is the first woman Prime Minister of Japan and is a visionary and popular leader."
**Technology partnership for Indo-Pacific vision
Calling Sanae Takaichi the first woman Prime Minister of Japan, PM Modi said that New Delhi and Japan share the same vision for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. He also added that technology has become a key pillar of bilateral relations. He said that our common priorities are a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Our technology partnership has become an important pillar of our relationship.
**Historic Defence Agreement
The two leaders announced a historic Defence Co-Development Agreement, which is the first of its kind between India and Japan. Along with this, the two countries also announced steps to enhance cooperation in the field of economic security, strategic technologies, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, key minerals and clean energy. PM Modi stressed that Japan has played a significant role in India's development journey.
He noted that the two countries, now among the world's five largest economies, will work together to promote peace, stability and a rules-based regional order.
The two Prime Ministers held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in the presence of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior officials from both sides. Earlier in the day, Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan ahead of the summit.
**75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sanae Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from July 1 to 3. The annual summit reviewed all aspects of bilateral cooperation, including defence, trade, investment, technology and regional security.
India and Japan elevated their relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. As the two countries prepare to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2027, the two leaders reiterated their commitment to expand cooperation in strategic, economic and people-to-people areas.