Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday, marking an important milestone in efforts to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

The meeting began with a warm welcome from Prime Minister Modi. Before entering the venue, Prime Minister Takaichi paid her respects by bowing toward the national flags of India and Japan, reflecting the spirit of mutual respect and friendship between the two nations.

The leaders are holding the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where they are expected to review progress across key areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment, technology, defence, economic security and regional connectivity. They will also exchange views on pressing regional and global developments, with particular emphasis on maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Takaichi received a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The visit marks her first official trip to India since assuming office as Japan's Prime Minister.

Takaichi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening for a three-day official visit aimed at expanding cooperation across strategic and economic sectors.

Welcoming the visiting leader, India's Ministry of External Affairs said the visit represents another significant step in advancing the long-standing partnership between the two countries. Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh received the Japanese Prime Minister upon her arrival.

Speaking before leaving Tokyo, Takaichi said the current global environment makes closer cooperation between Japan and India more important than ever. She expressed her intention to work closely with Prime Minister Modi in strengthening strategic ties, enhancing economic security and encouraging greater collaboration between businesses from both countries in areas such as investment, innovation and emerging technologies.

She also highlighted the Japan-India Joint Economic Forum, being held during the visit with participation from more than 150 Japanese companies and business organisations. The forum is expected to create new opportunities for investment and deepen commercial engagement between the two economies.

Underscoring the strategic importance of the relationship, Takaichi said India and Japan share a commitment to preserving peace, stability and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific. She noted that discussions with Prime Minister Modi would also focus on advancing the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and strengthening cooperation through the Quad framework.

The Japanese Prime Minister added that she hopes the visit will further reinforce the strong personal rapport between the two leaders while opening new avenues for bilateral cooperation.