Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi is coming to India from Rome, not Tokyo, why is his visit important?

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi India Visit: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reaching New Delhi on July 1. His India tour will continue till July 3. This will be his first visit to India after becoming Prime Minister. During this tour, he will have bilateral summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be the 16th annual summit between India and Japan. Last year, Prime Minister Modi had gone to Tokyo, whereas this time India will host it. There is a tradition of organizing summits between the two countries on a rotational basis every year.

What will be on the agenda?

1. Investment biggest issue: Last year in Tokyo, Japan had announced a target of private investment of 10 trillion yen (about 68 billion US dollars) in India in the next 10 years. During this visit, concrete progress towards implementing that commitment will be discussed. Top executives of major Japanese companies like Toyota Tsusho, Itochu and Suzuki may also come to India along with Takaichi. A high-level business meeting is also proposed between industrialists of the two countries.
2. Defense and Security Cooperation: Defense cooperation will also be a major topic of talks. Last year, both the countries had agreed to strengthen security cooperation. This time there is a possibility of discussion on joint defense production, maritime security, naval cooperation and increasing coordination between the two armies. Amidst China’s increasing activism in the Indo-Pacific region, this cooperation is considered strategically important for both the countries.
3. Semiconductors and Critical Minerals: Semiconductors, critical minerals and battery technology will also be on the agenda. India and Japan want to reduce dependence on any one country for chip manufacturing, essential minerals and clean energy supply chains.
4. energy security: Global energy supply has been affected due to the ongoing tension in the Middle East. In such a situation, both the countries can discuss increasing cooperation to strengthen LNG supply and energy security. Possible cooperation and joint working arrangements related to LNG storage are also possible to consider.
5. Contact between people: India and Japan have set a target of exchange of more than five lakh people in the next five years. Under this, a plan for about 50,000 skilled Indian workers to go to Japan is also included.
6. Infrastructure: Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed ​​Rail (Bullet Train) project will also be an important topic of discussion. This project, being built with Japan’s concessional loan, is considered a major symbol of the strategic partnership between the two countries. India is still the largest recipient of Japan’s official development assistance (ODA).

Takaichi is coming to Delhi from Rome, not Tokyo

Prime Minister Takaichi is not coming to India directly from Tokyo. Earlier she was in Rome, where she discussed Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy with the Italian Prime Minister. Coming directly to New Delhi from there. In fact, this year Japan’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ (FOIP) vision is completing ten years. This strategy was initiated by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Takaichi is considered one of the main inheritors of his political ideology. In such a situation, his visit to India is not limited only to trade and investment, but also shows how important India’s role is in Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy.

Discussion on investment, defence, semiconductor, energy security

PM Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will hold a face-to-face summit for the first time. Investment, defence, semiconductor, energy security, infrastructure and strategic challenges of the Indo-Pacific region will be at the center of this meeting. Initially there was discussion on making Guwahati in Assam also a part of the tour. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had also made efforts for this. However, this plan got postponed. Had Guwahati been included in the programme, it would have been the first time that the India-Japan annual summit would be held in North-East India.

This meeting is taking place at a time when China’s military activities are continuously increasing in the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, the Quad group of America, Japan, India and Australia is also emphasizing on strengthening regional security and supply chain. In such a situation, the Modi-Takaichi talks will not be limited only to bilateral relations, but it can also impact the strategic politics of the entire Indo-Pacific region.

Although this is a bilateral meeting, cooperation on China, maritime security, cyber security and critical technologies is also linked to the Quad agenda. In such a situation, America and Australia will also keep an eye on the results of this meeting.