India and Japan have issued a strong joint directive emphasising the absolute protection of international shipping lanes amid escalating tensions in West Asia and persistent volatility across global energy markets.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi released the statement following the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi, underscoring the strategic necessity of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to guarantee uninterrupted global commerce and resilient energy corridors.

Both nations, as major energy-consuming economies, remain acutely vulnerable to supply disruptions in West Asia. The leaders explicitly warned against geopolitical manoeuvres that could restrict maritime trade and highlighted the urgency of deepening bilateral cooperation on energy security.

They reiterated the importance of ensuring unimpeded freedom of navigation and uninterrupted flow of global commerce, including through the Strait of Hormuz, while opposing restrictive measures that hamper the movement of commercial vessels.

The joint statement welcomed prospects for expanding cooperation across the energy value chain. It reaffirmed their commitment to working together bilaterally and through multilateral platforms to strengthen the resilience of energy supply chains and promote stability in global energy markets. This reflects the growing convergence between India and Japan on energy security, particularly in light of recent disruptions in maritime trade routes caused by regional instability.

On the West Asia crisis, both prime ministers reiterated their commitment to sustainable peace and stability in the region. Regarding the situation surrounding Iran, they stressed the importance of securing free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining stable supply chains for energy and other essential goods, and upholding international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This emphasis on international law highlights their shared approach to rules-based order in maritime domains.

The leaders also stressed the imperative of advancing the Comprehensive Plan to rebuild Gaza and reaffirmed the commitment to ensuring a two-state solution. They underlined that continued diplomatic efforts are indispensable to restoring stability at the earliest and achieving lasting peace in the region. This reflects India and Japan’s broader strategic outlook, which combines energy security with humanitarian and diplomatic initiatives.

Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit to India from 1 to 3 July, at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, provided the opportunity to review the full spectrum of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The discussions covered ways to further strengthen cooperation across strategic, economic and regional issues, reinforcing the partnership’s role in addressing shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

ANI