Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a significant two-day visit to Japan beginning on Friday, 29 August 2025, marking his eighth trip to the country as India’s Prime Minister.

The central highlight of this diplomatic engagement was the 15th India–Japan Annual Summit, held in Tokyo, where a series of high-level discussions and agreements aimed at strengthening the multifaceted relationship between the two Asian powers were concluded.

One of the most noteworthy outcomes of the summit was the formal agreement between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to collaborate on the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission.

This mission, which will be operated under the framework of the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) programme, is designed to conduct an extensive study of the moon’s south pole, a region of immense scientific interest due to its potential reserves of water ice and other critical resources.

Unlike India’s previous lunar missions which focused largely on orbital surveys and soft-landing demonstrations, Chandrayaan-5, equipped with Japanese launch support and technical contributions, aims to combine the expertise of both nations to expand humankind’s knowledge of lunar geology and resource availability.

As per the agreement, the Chandrayaan-5 spacecraft will be launched from a Japanese H3 rocket, symbolising not only India’s rising global stature in space exploration but also the deepening of Indo-Japanese technological cooperation. Prime Minister Modi, while addressing a joint press briefing with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, expressed optimism that the cooperation between ISRO and JAXA would “strengthen the frontiers of space research” and stand as a symbol of humankind’s collective ambition beyond Earth boundaries.

For Japan, this collaboration demonstrates its trust in India’s proven lunar exploration capabilities, evidenced most recently by the success of Chandrayaan-3 in 2023.

Beyond space cooperation, the leaders also discussed measures to enhance bilateral economic engagement. In a major announcement, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared that Japan will invest 10 trillion yen (approximately ₹6 lakh crore) in India over the next decade.

This investment is expected to flow into infrastructure development, manufacturing, digital technology, and green energy projects, thereby reinforcing India’s developmental agenda and Japan’s vision of a robust Indo-Pacific economic framework.

Cultural and soft power diplomacy also played an important role during this visit. On his arrival in Tokyo, Prime Minister Modi was warmly received with traditional Japanese hospitality. In a symbolic gesture of cultural respect and Indo-Japanese spiritual linkage, local artists welcomed him with the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra at his hotel in Tokyo.

During the visit, he also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, acknowledging their contribution as informal ambassadors of Indian culture abroad and their role in strengthening people-to-people ties.

The summit deliberations were not restricted to space and economics alone. Both leaders addressed the necessity of expanding their strategic and defense cooperation, reaffirming the India–Japan relationship as a “Special Strategic and Global Partnership.” With Indo-Pacific security challenges on the horizon, both governments expressed readiness to coordinate more closely in defense technology, maritime security, and resilient supply chain initiatives.

In his concluding remarks before departing for China on the next leg of his foreign tour, Prime Minister Modi reiterated on social media that his visit to Japan was intended to strengthen the “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” between India and Japan.

He emphasised that the outcomes of the summit reflected the shared goal of taking bilateral relations beyond traditional cooperation into domains that symbolise innovation, trust, and global leadership.

Prime Minister Modi’s 8th visit to Japan in August 2025 has emerged as a landmark in India–Japan relations, marked by the dual pillars of space collaboration through Chandrayaan-5 and massive Japanese economic investments in India.

The agreements reached are expected to deepen the strategic partnership between the two democracies, cementing their role as key partners in advancing peace, prosperity, and technological progress in the Indo-Pacific and the larger global arena.

Agencies