Underlining that she intends to deepen her country’s strategic ties with India in this time of “growing uncertainty in the international situation”, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reached New Delhi Wednesday evening on a three-day visit, her first to India after entering office last year.With economic security as the overarching theme, Takaichi’s visit is expected to boost investment and innovation opportunities, and help build resilient supply chains in areas such as semiconductors and critical minerals.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Takaichi will take part in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, a mechanism established in 2006 under which the Prime Ministers of the two countries meet annually.Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit will “strengthen relations with India, which is of utmost importance for the realisation of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. Delhi and Tokyo share a deep strategic convergence on a free and open Indo-Pacific, driven by mutual interests amid China’s growing assertions in the region.Must Read | What to know about India-Japan ties as PM Sanae Takaichi visits IndiaSpeaking at an informal press conference in Tokyo before leaving for New Delhi, Takaichi said she intends to “advance concrete cooperation” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“Amid growing uncertainty in the international situation, the importance of collaboration with India, which shares fundamental values and strategic interests, is only increasing,” she said.“In this context, through this visit, taking into account the current international situation, I intend to advance concrete cooperation with Prime Minister Modi, centring on three points: deepening the strategic cooperative relationship between Japan and India, promoting cooperation in economic security, and fostering collaboration between companies of both countries toward investment and innovation,” she said.Story continues below this adDiplomatic sources said the focus during Takaichi’s visit will also be on boosting maritime security, defence technology cooperation, and developing an ‘Industrial Value Chain’ connecting the Bay of Bengal with North-East India.Also Read | What to know about India-Japan ties as PM Sanae Takaichi visits IndiaIndia and Japan are also expected to make progress on energy security and in tackling supply chain disruptions in the wake of the West Asia crisis.The summit follows Modi’s visit to Tokyo in August 2025 for the 15th edition, during which the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation across strategic, economic, technological and security domains.A large business delegation is accompanying Takaichi, and the two Prime Ministers will also attend business events with executives from both countries. According to government statistics, around 1,400 Japanese companies operate in India, with nearly half of them in the manufacturing sector.Story continues below this adJapan is among India’s largest investors, backing major infrastructure projects including a high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Japanese firms have also increased investments in Indian companies, including a recent $1.6 billion deal for a 20% stake in Yes Bank.A Japan-India Economic Forum is also scheduled after delegation-level talks between the two sides Thursday, with the participation of more than 150 individuals from Japan’s business community.“By uniting government and private sectors, we aim to broaden the scope of Japan-India cooperation and realise a strong economy,” Takaichi said.Her visit, sources said, aims to boost economic growth through investment and innovation. The focus will be on strengthening economic security. Bilateral trade touched $27.5 billion in 2025-26, with Japanese investment in India going up to $3.2 billion between April and December 2025.Story continues below this adExpected outcome documents include a joint statement on the annual summit, energy resilience, and MoUs covering sectors like AI, pharmaceuticals, batteries and critical minerals.Emphasising the strategic significance of the bilateral partnership, Takaichi said both India and Japan, as major democratic nations in Asia, share the responsibility of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.“India, like Japan, as a major democratic country in Asia, bears responsibility for achieving peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. In that regard, I intend to firmly discuss with Prime Minister Modi efforts toward realising a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’, including the framework of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India,” she said.A special partnershipIndia and Japan upgraded their ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan last year, the two sides had charted a roadmap for the next decade, raising the Japanese investment target in India to 10 trillion yen, launching initiatives on economic security cooperation, digital partnership and AI, and a new mobility partnership.