India and Japan to renew focus on Indo-Pacific for the first visit by Prime Minister Takaichi

India and Japan are expected to focus on cooperation in the Indo-Pacific as well as new projects on critical and emerging technologies as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives in Delhi on Wednesday (July 1, 2026) evening for a short visit. Ms. Takaichi’s visit, that marks the 20th annual summit since India and Japan begun to meet regularly at the highest levels and is expected to set the course for ties over the next decade, domains especially against the backdrop of conflict in the Persian Gulf region.

“India is an indispensable partner in advancing the updated Free and Open Indo Pacific put forward by Prime Minister Takaichi. It is important that Japan and India jointly promote the maintenance and strengthening of a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” diplomatic sources said, indicating that the two sides will announce a joint declaration on economic security cooperation, maritime security and a Joint Statement on Cooperation in the field of AI during the visit.

In particular, the Japanese Prime Minister will discuss the new version of Japan’s Indo-Pacific Policy, which she unveiled in May this year during a visit to Vietnam.

While the previous policy, announced by former Japanese PM Fumio Kishida during a visit to Delhi in 2023 had focused on cooperation with India and Bangladesh through the Bay of Bengal, the latest version is more focused on Japan’s policy in the Western Pacific, where tensions with China have been growing since last November.

Ms. Takaichi’s visit comprises engagements on Thursday (July 2, 2026) before leaving for Tokyo on Friday (July 3, 2026) morning. Ms. Takaichi was earlier scheduled to visit Guwahati where the summit meeting with Prime Minister Modi was being planned though the plans were cancelled just days before the commencement of the visit.

In recent months Japan and India have ramped up cooperation against the backdrop of instability in the Gulf. The Indian navy refueled Kashima and Shimakaze, two ships of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Forces (JMSDF) in May in the Arabian Sea as well, and sources said more such engagements are expected to be planned. In addition the two sides are expected to sign an agreement on energy resilience, in order to avoid future situations like the oil crisis faced by many countries after the blockade in the Hormuz Straits. The sources said discussions focussed on diversifying sources of energy and building energy reserves.

Prime Minister Takaichi will arrive here during Wednesday (July 1, 2026) evening and in a special gesture for a Head of Government, not State, she will be welcomed at the Forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday (July 2, 2026) morning. The two sides are finalising details on about ten MoUs that they hope to complete and announce after talks between Ms. Takaichi and Mr. Modi at Hyderabad House. Apart from the MoU on energy resilience, they are discussing agreements on biogas, upstream development of oil and gas, exploration of critical minerals, batteries, Artificial Intelligence, pharmaceuticals.

Ms. Takaichi will also address a business meeting during her stay in New Delhi, where more than 100 Japanese businesspersons are expected, and several MoUs will be signed. The Hindu was told that the visiting Japanese leader will take up the Green Ammonia Project in Orissa that has come up with Japanese assistance. An important element of the visit will be the discussion on Next Gen Mobility Partnership that is part of India’s mobility-centric outreach with key economic partners.