India-Japan Strategic Partnership Enters New Era, Says PM Modi In Yomiuri Shimbun Interview

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a written interview to Japanese daily The Yomiuri Shimbun, said he is committed to charting the next phase of the India-Japan strategic partnership, with a strong focus on security, innovation, resilience, and shared prosperity.

"During my meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba, I look forward to advancing the next phase of our partnership. Our focus will be to strengthen security, enhance resilience, drive innovation and deliver prosperity for our people," Modi said.

Expressing optimism, he noted that although his visit was short, it would leave a long-lasting impact. "India and Japan will continue to be a force for peace, progress and stability in Asia and the world," he added.

PM @narendramodi, in his interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun, said India and Japan will continue to be a force for peace, progress and stability in Asia and the world. He underlined stronger cooperation in defence, semiconductors, space and economic ties, alongside…

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 29, 2025

On defence ties, the Prime Minister emphasized that collaboration between India and Japan had become a strong success story. Highlighting their common interest in the stability of the Indo-Pacific, Modi said the partnership spans all three services, supported by regular bilateral and multilateral exercises. He further pointed to the development of a Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation framework and ongoing co-development and co-production projects, including UNICORN masts for the Indian Navy.

"In recent years, Indian defence products have rapidly expanded their global footprint. Japan has a proven record in defence technology. With political trust and complementarities, we can design and produce next-generation defence platforms not just for ourselves, but for the world," Modi told the publication.

He also underlined that the adoption of a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation during his visit would bolster military modernization, deepen defence industry collaboration, and advance shared ambitions for a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.

The joint declaration serves as a comprehensive framework for evolving defence and security cooperation to address contemporary challenges in line with the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan.

At the India-Japan Summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, both leaders issued a joint statement and unveiled the "2035 Vision Statement" for future cooperation. This document upgrades the 2025 Vision Statement that Modi and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had announced a decade earlier.

(ANI)