Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi held the 15th India-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue on July 27 in New Delhi.

Highlights of the meeting:

• The ministers engaged in comprehensive discussions covering a wide range of issues of bilateral, regional, and global significance.

• They highlighted the importance of further strengthening India-Japan partnership based on shared values and principles.

• The ministers highlighted the importance of achieving the target of five trillion Yen Japanese investment in India in the period 2022-27.

• They explored potential areas of collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, resilient supply chains, and digital public infrastructure, among others.

• They noted the celebration of 2023 as the Year of India-Japan Tourism Exchanges with the theme of ‘Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji’.

India-Japan relations

• Friendship between the two countries has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilizational ties. 

• The Japan-India Association set up in 1903 is the oldest international friendship body in Japan.

• After World War II, India did not attend the San Francisco Conference but decided to conclude a separate Peace Treaty with Japan on April 28, 1952, marking the beginning of diplomatic relations. Since then, the relations have matured over the years to cover a wide range of areas of cooperation.

• India-Japan relations were elevated to ‘Global Partnership’ in 2000, ‘Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2006, and ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2014.

• Japan has joined India-led initiatives such as International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). 

• India and Japan are also cooperating under Quad framework (Japan, Australia, India & US) and India-Japan-Australia Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).

• Apart from the annual summits, regular exchanges take place at other high levels including foreign minister, defence minister, and National Security Adviser.

• India-Japan Defence and Security partnership forms an integral pillar of bilateral ties.

• The agreement concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Self-Defence Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces was signed in September 2020.

• The second India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting was held in Tokyo in September 2022.

• 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’.

• Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy was signed in November 2016. The Bill came into force in July 2017 with the completion of internal procedures on both sides. This facilitated participation of Japanese companies in the Indian nuclear energy sector.

• India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) came into effect from August 1, 2011.

• Bilateral trade totalled $20.57 billion during FY 2021-22. Exports from Japan to India during this period were $14.39 billion and imports were $6.18 billion.

• India’s primary exports to Japan are petroleum products, organic chemicals, electrical machinery and equipment, non-metallic mineral ware, fish & fish preparations, metalliferous ores & scrap, clothing & accessories, iron & steel products, textile yarn, fabrics and machinery etc. 

• India’s primary imports from Japan are machinery, electrical machinery, iron and steel products, plastic materials, non-ferrous metals, parts of motor vehicles etc.

• India-Japan Energy Dialogue was set up in December 2006 to promote cooperation in the energy sector in a comprehensive manner.

• The first High Speed Rail (HSR) corridor is being implemented from Mumbai to Ahmedabad with technical and financial assistance from government of Japan.

• Six Metro Rail projects are being implemented with technical and financial support from government of Japan.

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