Consulate General of India

India-Japan Bilateral Relations

India and Japan share a ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’. Friendship between the two countries has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilizational ties. The concept of Japan’s Shichifukujin (Seven Lucky Gods) has origins in Hindu traditions. A notable early connection was in 752 AD when Indian monk Bodhisena performed the consecration of the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple in Nara. In contemporary times, figures like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, JRD Tata, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose, and Justice Radha Binod Pal strengthened bilateral bonds. Justice Pal’s dissent at the War Crimes Tribunal remains deeply respected in Japan. The Japan-India Association, established in 1903, is Japan’s oldest international friendship body.

After World War-II, India did not attend the San Francisco Conference but decided to conclude a separate Peace Treaty with Japan on 28 April 1952, marking the beginning of diplomatic relations. Since then, India–Japan relations have evolved into a comprehensive partnership spanning political, defence, economic, science and technology, education, and cultural ties. Strategic convergence is growing, with synergy between India’s Act East Policy, SAGAR vision, and IPOI, and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision. Japan leads the Connectivity pillar of IPOI and is a partner in Indian-led initiatives like the ISA, CDRI, and LeadIT. Both countries also collaborate under the Quad and the India–Japan–Australia Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).

Summit and other high level political engagement

In the first decade after diplomatic ties were established, several high-level exchanges took place, including visits to India by Japanese PM Nobusuke Kishi, Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko, and visits to Japan by PM Jawaharlal Nehru and President Rajendra Prasad. India-Japan relations were elevated to ‘Global Partnership’ in 2000, ‘Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2006, and ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2014. Regular Annual Summits have been held between India and Japan since 2006. The year 2013 was a monumental year that saw the first ever visit of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to India. Earlier, PM Shinzo Abe, during his visit to India in 2007, had delivered the famous "The Confluence of Two Seas" speech in the Indian parliament. He also participated in Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest in 2014. He was conferred with Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor in 2021. President Ram Nath Kovind visited Japan in October 2019 to attend the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, His Majesty Naruhito.

Apart from the annual summits, regular exchanges take place at other high levels including Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and National Security Adviser (NSA). EAM met FM Iwaya on 1 July 2025 during his visit to Washington D.C. to attend the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. 17^th round of Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 20 August 2024. 3rd round of 2+2 Ministerial meeting was held in New Delhi on 20 August 2024. Defense Ministerial Meeting was also held on the sidelines of 2+2 Ministerial. The latest and 5th round of NSA level dialogue was held in November 2019 in New Delhi. 3rd Deputy National Security Advisors meeting was held in November 2024 in New Delhi. EAM visited Tokyo and attended the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 29 July 2024. EAM and FM Iwaya met on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Italy on 26 November 2024, and on the sidelines of the QUAD Foreign Ministers Meeting in Washington, D.C. on 19 January 2025, during which they launched the “India-Japan Science Technology and Innovation Exchange Year”. Foreign Secretary held the Foreign Secretary – Vice Minister Dialogue also co-chaired the Inaugural round of India-Japan Dialogue on Economic Security with the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan in November 2024. Foreign Secretary met with Vice Foreign Minister, National Security Advisor and Senior Deputy Foreign Minister during his visit to Japan in May 2025.

In 2023, several high-level visits took place between India and Japan in the context of India’s G20 and Japan’s G7 Presidencies. State Minister Shunsuke Takei, Agriculture Minister Tetsuro Nomura, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, METI Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi, and Digital Minister Taro Kono visited India to attend various G20 meetings. To attend G7 Ministerial meetings held under Japan’s G7 Presidency, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya and Commerce & Industry Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal visited Japan in 2023.

More recently, Textiles Minister Shri Giriraj Singh visited Tokyo from 14–17 July 2025. Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, visited Japan during 21-24 January 2025, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, visited during 28-31 January 2025, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K. Sangma visited during 14-21 April, Chief Minister of Telangana Shri A. Revanth Reddy visited during 16-23 April 2025, and held Roadshows/ receptions to attract investment and collaborations for their respective states. From Japan side, Governors of Yamanashi, Ibaraki, Shizuoka, Toyama, Ehime, travelled to India and signed MoUs in Uttar Pradesh (both Yamanashi and Ibaraki), Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, respectively in 2024-2025.

Parliamentary Exchanges:

Regular exchanges have been held between parliamentarians since 2016. Former Prime Minister and current Chairman of Japan India Association Yoshihide Suga visited India with the Ganesha Group of MPs and a business delegation from 05-08 July 2023. During the visit he also met the Prime Minister. Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Mr. Nukaga Fukushiro, visited India along with a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians and business leaders and met PM Modi on 01 August 2024. He again visited India from 01 – 05 May 2025 and held meetings with Lok Sabha Speaker and External Affairs Minister. A delegation of Members of Indian Parliament, headed by Mr. Arun Singh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha visited Japan in February 2025. The All-Party Parliamentary Delegation led by MP Sanjay Kumar Jha visited Tokyo from 22–24 May 2025, and met with former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and other senior officials to underscore India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.

India-Japan Act East Forum:

Established in December 2017, the Act East Forum aims to provide a platform for India-Japan collaboration under the rubric of India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s “Vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. The Forum identifies specific projects for economic modernization of India’s North-East region such as those pertaining to connectivity, developmental infrastructure, industrial linkages as well as people-to-people contacts. The 7th meeting held on 19 February 2024 in New Delhi reviewed progress on cross-border trade and logistics with Bangladesh, and ongoing projects in areas such as connectivity, renewable energy, urban development, disaster resilience, healthcare, skill development, agriculture, tourism, and Japanese language education. New areas of cooperation were also discussed.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation:

Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed during the visit of PM Modi to Japan in November 2016. The 4^th Meeting of JWG on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was held in India on 7 July 2025.

Defense Cooperation:

India-Japan defense and security partnership is a key pillar of bilateral ties, driven by a shared strategic outlook and commitment to Indo-Pacific peace and stability. Key agreements include the 2008 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, 2014 MoU on Defense Exchanges, and 2015 pacts on defense equipment transfer and protection of classified information. The 2018 Implementing Arrangement deepened naval cooperation, and the Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services (RPSS) agreement was signed in September 2020. More recently, a MoI for co-developing the UNICORN mast for Indian Navy ships was signed on 15 November 2024.

Defense Ministerial Meeting and other high-level exchanges: 

The 4th India-Japan Defence Ministerial Meeting was held in New Delhi in May 2025 during Defence Minister Gen Nakatani’s visit. Other key exchanges included visits by Indian COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi to Japan (14–18 Oct 2024) and Japanese COS Joint Staff Gen Yoshida Yoshihide to India (8–11 Oct 2024). Gen Uchikura Hiroaki, JASDF Chief, visited India (10–13 Sept 2024) for DV Day and Exercise Tarang Shakti 24. Gen Dwivedi also participated virtually in the 2nd Land Forces Summit in Tokyo on 14 Dec 2024. A three-member Indian Coast Guard team, led by DG Paramesh Sivamani, visited Japan (8–12 Jan 2025) for the 21st ICG-JCG High-Level Meeting.

The Second Joint Service Staff Talks were held in New Delhi on 20 November 2024. Japan participated in multiple key exercises with India: JS Sazanami joined the 12th multilateral naval exercise MILAN 24 in Visakhapatnam (19–27 Feb 2024), with Vice Admiral Saito Akira attending its harbor phase (19–23 Feb). JS Ariake took part in the 28th edition of exercise MALABAR 24 in India (08–18 Oct 2024). The 8th Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX 24) was hosted by JMSDF at Yokosuka (11–15 June 2024). Exercise Dharma Guardian’s 5th edition was held in Rajasthan (25 Feb–09 Mar 2024), while the upgraded 6th edition was conducted in Japan (24 Feb–08 Mar 2025). IAF’s C-17 aircraft supported troop movement at Kumamoto Airport (22–24 Feb & 08–10 Mar 2025). ICGS Shaunak made a port call at Yokohama (07–11 Jan 2025) for a bilateral exercise with the Japan Coast Guard.

Economic and Commercial relations

India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA): 

India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) Agreement came into effect from 1 August 2011. The Agreement covers not only trade in goods but also services, movement of natural persons, investments, intellectual property rights, custom procedures and other trade related issues. The CEPA envisages abolition of tariffs over 94% of items traded between India and Japan over a period of 10 years. In order to further expand and strengthen the economic and business ties and address the CEPA implementation issues, various Sub-Committees have been established under CEPA in areas of Rules of Origin, Customs Procedures, Technical Regulations, Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures & SPS Measures, Trade in Services, Improvement of Business Environment, and Movement of Natural Persons & Cooperation. A Proposal for setting up of a sub-committee on Trade in Goods under IJCEPA is also presently under discussion between both the sides.

Bilateral Trade:

India’s primary exports to Japan are Organic Chemicals, Vehicles (Other than railways & trams), Nuclear Reactor, Aluminium and Articles thereof, Fish & other aquatic invertebrates. India’s primary imports from Japan are Nuclear Reactors, Copper and Articles thereof, Electrical Machinery and Equipment, Inorganic Chemicals and Iron and Steel. The export-import statistics for the last five years as per Ministry of Commerce data bank are as follows:

(US Dollar billion)

Investments in India:

According to JBIC’s 2024 survey, India remained the top medium-term investment destination (58.7% vote share) and ranked 1st for the 15th consecutive year as the most promising country for the next 10 years. Japanese companies cited India’s growth potential as a key attraction, though concerns about legal clarity and competition were noted. Japanese FDI in India has risen, totaling USD 1.79 billion in 2022–23, USD 3.1 billion in 2023–24, and USD 2.5 billion in 2024–25. Cumulative FDI since 2000 stands at USD 44.4 billion, with key sectors including automobiles, electronics, telecom, chemicals, finance, and pharmaceuticals.

Japanese Companies in India:

The number of Japanese companies registered in India are 1400 with manufacturing firms accounting for half the total, according to the latest joint survey by the Embassy of Japan in India and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). These Japanese companies have a total of nearly 5000 business establishments in India. More than 100 Indian companies are working in Japan.

Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI): 

The Trade Ministers of India, Japan and Australia formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience initiative in a Trilateral Ministerial Meeting held virtually on 27 April 2021. The initial projects of SCRI identified are - (i) sharing of best practices on supply chain resilience; and (ii) holding investment promotion events and buyer-seller matching events to provide opportunities for stakeholders to explore the possibility of diversification of their supply chains. The Second Trilateral Ministerial meeting was held on 15 March 2022.

Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA):

Japan has been extending bilateral loan and grant assistance to India since 1958 and is the largest bilateral donor to India. Japanese ODA supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development particularly in priority areas like power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs. Japan’s ODA disbursement to India in 2023-24 stood at about JPY 580 billion.

India-Japan Energy Dialogue was set up in December 2006 to promote cooperation in the energy sector in a comprehensive manner. The dialogue is chaired by the Minister of Power, India and METI Minister. The 10th meeting of the Dialogue was held in Delhi on 10 December 2019. India-Japan Clean Energy Partnership was launched in March 2022.

India-Japan Steel Dialogue has been set up as an institutional mechanism to strengthen the relationship and cooperation in steel sector between India and Japan by improving the processes of steel production & product mix and safety of work place. The MoC on Steel sector was signed on 22 December 2020. The 3rd India-Japan Steel Dialogue was held on February 2025, at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

India-Japan Cooperation on Textiles: The 3rd meeting of the India-Japan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Textiles was held in June 2025 in Tokyo wherein discussions took place on further strengthening India-Japan partnership in textiles and apparel sector. METI has also expressed interest to promote investment and expand trade and human resource development in this sector.

India – Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership: A Memorandum of Cooperation between DPIIT and METI on the India–Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership was signed on 16 November 2021 to enhance India’s industrial competitiveness and deepen bilateral ties. Joint Working Groups have been established in sectors such as textiles, logistics, steel, and food processing. The 6th meeting of the partnership was held in New Delhi on 28 June 2024, co-chaired by the DPIIT Secretary and METI’s Vice Minister for International Affairs.

India-Japan Digital Partnership (IJDP): The establishment of the India-Japan Digital Partnership (IJDP) in 2018 marked a significant milestone in bilateral economic cooperation. This partnership is fostering collaboration in areas like start-ups, digital talent exchange etc. and has now broadened further to include cooperation in semiconductors. The Memorandum of Cooperation on Semiconductor Supply Chains and the launch of a Semiconductor Policy Dialogue have expanded the scope of digital collaboration between India and Japan.

Skill Development: Under the 2016 India-Japan MoC, Japanese companies have set up Japan-India Institutes of Manufacturing (JIM) and Japanese Endowed Courses (JEC) in Indian institutions. The two countries also cooperate under Japan’s Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) and Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) scheme. The 3rd TITP Meeting was held on 12 March 2025. Language and skill tests for caregiving and agriculture began in Gurugram in 2022 and later expanded to Guwahati and Bangalore. On 4 August 2023, Minister of State for Skill Development Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced the launch of ‘India-Japan Skill Connect’ and a ‘Skill Facilitation Cell’ at the Embassy. The 4th India-Japan JWG on Skill Development was held in Tokyo on 3 October 2023. An Action Plan for Transfer of 50,000 Skilled Indian Personnel to Japan (2025 -2030).

Healthcare Cooperation: Second meeting of the Japan-India Joint Committee on Healthcare was held on 15 May 2023. Both sides have recognized synergy between India’s AYUSHMAN Bharat Programme and Japan’s AHWIN and are working on cooperation in areas such as health-care logistics, ICT for tertiary health-care, and human resource development. An AYUSH Information Cell was launched on 11 March 2023 in the Embassy of India, Tokyo.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project: The first High Speed Rail (HSR) corridor is being implemented from Mumbai to Ahmedabad with technical and financial assistance from Government of Japan. With total twelve stations in the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the corridor has a length of 508.17km. The project envisages ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Capacity Development’ to enable Indian workforce acquire skills relevant for Shinkansen technology. National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) has been modelled as a Special Purpose Vehicle for implementing the project. The project is monitored at the apex-level in the form of Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) co-chaired by Hon’ble Minister for Railways from the Indian side and Special Adviser to Prime Minister of Japan, on the Japanese side. Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, visited Japan during 22 – 24 December 2024 and held the 18^th JCM during the visit.

S&T Cooperation:

India–Japan Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation, formalized through a 1985 Inter-Governmental Agreement, marked its 40th anniversary with the declaration of 2025–26 as the “India-Japan Year of Science, Technology & Innovation Exchanges” during the EAM–FM meeting in Washington DC (Jan 2025). Key milestones include the launch of the Joint Institute of Excellence (JIE) by IIT Bombay and Tohoku University (April 2025), the installation of a bust of C.V. Raman at Shimane University (May 2025), and the five-year extension of the Indian Beam Line at KEK Tsukuba (Oct 2024). The Principal Scientific Adviser visited Japan (Aug 2023), and DST–JSPS supported 20 research projects and 3 workshops from a record 273 proposals received in 2024. Around 150 Indian students are expected to visit Japan in 2025 under the Sakura Science Program, and for the first time, DST invited Japanese high school students to India. In March 2024, Forest Survey of India (FSI) and Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC) signed an agreement on GIS and remote sensing cooperation.

Space Cooperation between ISRO & JAXA: 

The Third India–Japan Space Dialogue was held in Tokyo in March 2025, co-chaired by MEA, ISRO, MOFA, and Japan’s Cabinet Office. The Dialogue covered space policy, space security, ISRO–JAXA cooperation, space industries and startups, satellite navigation, SSA, and space-related norms. ISRO and JAXA actively collaborate in X-ray astronomy, lunar exploration, satellite navigation, and APRSAF. Under their 2016 MoC for peaceful space cooperation, they signed Implementation Arrangements for APRSAF/SAFE Agromet (2019), rice crop and air quality monitoring, and IRNSS monitoring (2021).

Environmental Cooperation:

In May 2018, the 2nd Japan-India Government-Private Workshop was held to implement the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Cooperation Plan. During PM Modi’s visit to Japan in October 2018, both sides signed an MoC on Environmental Cooperation covering pollution control, waste management, climate change, and related areas. The first High-Level Policy Dialogue on Environment was held virtually on 7 September 2021 to discuss air pollution, climate change, marine litter, COP26 and other issues.

Education, Culture and People-to-people Exchanges:

Cooperation in the field of education is being conducted through partnerships between education and research institutions, student and teacher exchange, government scholarships, promotion of Japanese language education in India etc. There are 665 academic and research partnerships (including student exchanges) between more than 138 universities/institutes of Japan and around 227 universities/institutions of India. The partnerships range from liberal arts to management & business studies, legal studies, international studies, linguistics, STEM including fast emerging frontier technologies. Several Indian Institutions including IIM Bangalore and IIM Nagpur have started ‘India-Japan Centre’. Similarly, many Japanese Institutions have started research centres/labs in collaboration with India or focus on India, such as ‘International Joint Lab’ to conduct research on modernisation of law in Asia at Osaka University, ‘Indo-Japan Lab’ at Keio University, etc. Student exchange programmes, especially short-term, have enabled Indian students to visit and experience Japan. Similarly, Japanese students have been going to Indian universities for various courses including Hindi Language.

The 1^st Japan-India Universities Forum meeting was held in January 2023, which brought together the top 10 Universities of India including several IITs and top 12 Universities of Japan to discuss areas of mutual cooperation, collaboration in areas of research, faculty Trainings and exchange programs and sought to promote further student exchanges. It’s third edition was held on 19 October 2024 at New Delhi.

Japan hosted the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, under the theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." India Pavilion "Bharat" was inaugurated in May 2025. Since its opening, it has been ranked among the top five pavilions at the Expo, alongside those of the United States, Italy, Japan, and France. As part of India’s cultural outreach, the International Day of Yoga was celebrated at the Pavilion, witnessing enthusiastic participation from over 1,300 individuals.

India-Japan Forum has been launched with the purpose of bolstering cooperation, leveraging opportunities, exchanging ideas, building mutual trust and developing a joint agenda for future cooperation between India and Japan. Third edition of the forum was held in New Delhi in December 2024. The forum sees participation of eminent representatives of both governments, Parliament, industry, think tanks and academia.

Sister-State and Sister-City Cooperation: 

There are growing links between Japanese prefectures/cities and Indian states/cities. As of now, 7 states and 4 cities/regions from India have partnered with prefectures/cities of Japan through MoUs to cooperate under diverse sectors.

Indian Community in Japan: 

In recent years, there has been a change in the composition of the Indian community with the arrival of many professionals, including IT professionals and engineers. The Nishikasai area in Tokyo is emerging as a “mini-India”. Their growing numbers had prompted the opening of three Indian schools. Around 54,000 Indians currently live in Japan.

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(September 2025)