Japan, India to deepen security, economic ties amid US tariffs

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi agreed on Friday to deepen economic and security ties as New Delhi confronts new US tariffs and Tokyo looks to counter China's growing influence.

"Japan and India should draw on each other's strengths, help solve each other's challenges, and even tackle together the issues that future generations will face," Ishiba said at a joint press announcement with Modi after talks in Tokyo.

The two leaders pledged to boost defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific over the next decade, strengthen supply chains and investment, and expand collaboration in AI, space, high-speed rail and other technologies. They also agreed to widen skilled worker exchanges.

Japan said it was targeting 10 trillion yen (AED 249 billion) of private-sector investment in India.

Japan and India have drawn closer as China's regional influence has grown. Both are members of the Quad grouping along with the United States and Australia.

"India and Japan are fully committed to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. We have similar concerns about terrorism and cyber security. We have common interests in defence and maritime security," Modi said.

Modi's visit to Japan is part of a broader push to strengthen India's diplomatic ties and win support for his "Make in India" initiative as New Delhi battles the fallout from tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday the US raised import levies on Indian goods to as much as 50 per cent, with a punitive 25 per cent tariff slapped on India for purchasing Russian oil.

After Japan, Modi travels to China, his first visit there in seven years, for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation regional security bloc.

He is expected to meet both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.