Overview

• India’s Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, and Japan’s Minister for Economic Security, Minoru Kiuchi, agreed in Tokyo to deepen their Special Strategic and Global Partnership across economic security, space and science and technology.
• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Vice-Minister Funakoshi Takehiro met in Delhi to review collaboration areas and finalize timelines for upcoming projects ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s expected visit in the second half of August.
• Japan will gift two of its latest E-10 Shinkansen trains to India and both governments set a December 2029 target for completing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, including a December 2027 deadline for the Gujarat section.
• Officials highlighted critical mineral shortages for electric vehicle batteries, noting that Chinese export restrictions have affected manufacturers such as Suzuki and Toyota and underscoring the need for supply chain resilience.
• Both sides agreed to pursue joint development of rare earth resources in India and Vietnam and to strengthen cooperation under the Quad framework to support free and open Indo-Pacific objectives.