Overview
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi co-chaired the 18th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on January 16.
- Jaishankar said the partnership is on an upward trajectory, citing discussions on economic, maritime, supply-chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation.
- Japanese officials outlined plans to hold a second senior-official round on economic security and to start a private-sector B2B dialogue with India.
- The agenda, according to officials, included Japan's participation at Delhi's AI Summit on February 19–20 and the creation of a separate India–Japan AI Strategic Dialogue.
- Motegi's stop follows defense agreements in the Philippines and his push for Japan–Philippines–U.S. cooperation, set against ongoing Japan–China trade frictions and the lack of a date for the next Quad Summit.