Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, marking the formal commencement of her maiden three-day official visit to India. 

Flanked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she began engagements that include bilateral talks and participation in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where major economic and strategic announcements are expected.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening and was received at Palam Technical Airport by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh. He described it as a privilege to welcome her on behalf of the Government of India, noting that her engagements include the annual summit, which carries special significance given the growing strategic partnership between the two nations.

On Thursday morning, she was formally welcomed at Rashtrapati Bhavan with a ceremonial Guard of Honour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received her and introduced members of his cabinet and other dignitaries. The ceremony underscored the importance India attaches to its ties with Japan, which have been elevated to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Following the reception, Prime Minister Modi expressed delight at hosting Takaichi on her first visit to India. He emphasised that the two leaders would hold wide-ranging discussions covering bilateral cooperation and regional issues. Modi also highlighted that the visit would further strengthen the partnership between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Japan’s Cabinet Public Relations Office posted on X, thanking India for the warm welcome and expressing excitement about the visit. Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki also noted on X that more than 150 Japanese companies would participate in the Japan-India Economic Forum, reinforcing collaboration in areas such as security and economic security.

Japanese media reported that private companies from Japan are set to inject approximately $12.5 billion into the Indian market through around 120 cooperation agreements signed during the summit. This investment reflects growing confidence in India’s economic trajectory and underscores the role of private sector collaboration in strengthening bilateral ties.

The summit is expected to focus on expanding cooperation in economic security, resilient supply chains, semiconductors, defence, maritime security, clean energy, and emerging technologies. Both governments are keen to diversify supply chains and strengthen industrial cooperation in strategically important sectors, particularly in the Indo-Pacific context.

The Ministry of External Affairs described the visit as another milestone in advancing the India-Japan partnership. Officials confirmed that the summit will allow both leaders to review the full spectrum of cooperation and exchange views on regional and global developments. Agreements and memoranda of understanding are anticipated in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, batteries, critical minerals, and energy resilience.

The ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan thus marked not only the beginning of Takaichi’s official engagements in India but also a symbolic reaffirmation of the deepening ties between the two countries. Her presence alongside Prime Minister Modi highlighted the shared commitment to advancing a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific while strengthening economic and strategic cooperation.

ANI