India and Japan have taken a major step towards strengthening their long-standing strategic partnership by unveiling a comprehensive roadmap focused on artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, clean energy, economic security and advanced technologies. The announcements were made during the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit held in New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to deepen collaboration across several future-focused sectors.

The formation of an AI collaboration framework which seeks to encourage the creation of a secure and safe, human-centric AI is one of the important achievements of the summit. The two countries will work together on AI through research, innovation, governance, talent development, and digital infrastructure by leveraging Japan’s technological capability and India’s software and digital ecosystem.

Semiconductors were another important area of the partnership. The two nations promised to make the semiconductor value chain robust through greater collaboration in key minerals, quantum technology, and materials. The objective of the strategy is to deal with the risks posed by the supply chains and make strategic technologies more accessible amid increasing global demands.

The tie-up goes further than just technology. Both nations unveiled new initiatives for the improvement of energy resilience through collaboration in areas of batteries, green hydrogen, nuclear energy and fuels. There was also the unveiling of the India-Japan Next Generation Mobility Partnership Framework to facilitate collaboration in electric mobility, shipping, aviation, and logistics.

Economic cooperation got a major boost from the pledge by Japan to make over US$10 billion worth of new investments in India via business deals signed over the past one year. The two countries have also renewed their vision to attract ¥10 trillion of investments from Japan in the next 10 years to come.

Another significant milestone has been the signing of the first-ever defence co-development agreement between India and Japan on the Naval Radio Antenna programme. The agreement signifies the increasing strategic convergence of both countries amid changing security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.

Both leaders reiterated their resolve in making sure that an open, free, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region would be created through the emphasis on building reliable technology relations, supply chain resilience, and sustainable economic growth. In light of growing importance of collaboration in domains such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, the roadmap is expected to bring about innovation, build economic resilience, and create new opportunities for businesses and academics from both countries.