India and Japan took a significant step forward in their bilateral relations on Friday, announcing a range of new initiatives to enhance cooperation in critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), and defence. The announcements were made during a strategic dialogue in Tokyo between India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, which focused on reinforcing economic and strategic security amid growing global uncertainties.

The dialogue underscored the importance both nations attach to economic security and supply chain resilience, particularly in areas crucial to modern industry and technology. As part of a newly launched bilateral economic security initiative, India and Japan agreed to facilitate a dialogue between private sector actors from both countries. This platform will aim to identify challenges in critical minerals, energy, and related strategic sectors. Following this, a more formal economic security dialogue, co-led by India’s foreign secretary and a Japanese vice minister, is planned for the first half of 2026 to foster stronger public-private sector cooperation.

A focal point of the talks was the creation of a joint working group on critical minerals, which is set to convene in early 2026. This initiative aims to deepen collaboration on rare earth elements and other minerals essential for high-tech industries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Alongside this, India and Japan launched an AI Dialogue, led by officials from their respective foreign ministries, to provide a structured framework for collaboration in AI research, development, and deployment. Both initiatives are being positioned as flagship areas of bilateral cooperation that could also influence broader international standards in technology and economic security.

Speaking during the dialogue, Jaishankar emphasized India’s prioritization of its strategic and economic partnership with Japan. “We are leading democracies, we are major economies of the world, and we have today not just an opportunity, but also an obligation, a duty to shape the global order,” he said. Highlighting the uncertain global landscape, he added that close cooperation between the two nations was critical for achieving shared strategic goals. Without naming the United States, Jaishankar referred to the importance of de-risking economies and strengthening economic resilience against global trade shocks. He emphasized that discussions would focus on resilient supply chains, critical minerals, energy, health, and maritime security.

The dialogue also expanded to encompass broader aspects of bilateral engagement, including investment, trade, innovation, defence cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. Japan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Toshihiro Kitamura, highlighted defence collaboration as a key part of the discussions, noting that Japan will transfer technology for the Unicorn (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) stealth antenna system to the Indian Navy. This system, designed for deployment on warships, is being positioned as a flagship defence project and could pave the way for further strategic cooperation between the two countries’ militaries.

Both sides also discussed cooperation within the framework of the Quad, emphasizing the strategic significance of engaging the United States and maintaining a stable security environment in the Indo-Pacific. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar reaffirmed that India’s vision for the Indo-Pacific aligns closely with Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” policy, highlighting the importance of regional collaboration on security, maritime governance, and economic integration.

Prior to his talks with Jaishankar, Motegi met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflecting the broader high-level engagement between the two countries. In addition to defence and technology, discussions included infrastructure projects, particularly the development of India’s northeastern states and the high-speed railway project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Both sides agreed to accelerate this project, with Japan providing the latest Shinkansen technology to ensure world-class standards and safety. This high-speed rail initiative is seen as a cornerstone of bilateral economic cooperation and a model for future infrastructure collaboration.

The strategic dialogue also reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Japan to strengthening supply chains for critical sectors, especially in areas such as rare earth elements, semiconductors, and clean energy technology. Officials stressed that collaboration in these areas would enhance both nations’ economic security, reduce dependency on single sources of supply, and strengthen the resilience of industries against geopolitical shocks.

In the technology domain, the AI Dialogue seeks to harmonize efforts in research and application across sectors, including health, education, smart cities, and manufacturing. By coordinating standards, policies, and projects, both countries aim to leverage AI to support sustainable growth while addressing ethical, social, and security challenges.

The defence component of the dialogue not only covers technological transfers but also joint exercises, training, and strategic planning, highlighting the increasing convergence of India and Japan’s security priorities in the Indo-Pacific. Both sides acknowledged the importance of maintaining a stable maritime environment, particularly given regional tensions and evolving threats in the Indian Ocean and surrounding areas.

Overall, the strategic dialogue signaled a deepening of India-Japan ties across multiple dimensions. Beyond immediate economic and technological cooperation, the initiatives reflect a shared vision of leadership in shaping a stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Both governments stressed that these efforts are aimed at ensuring long-term strategic autonomy, resilient economies, and robust bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors critical for future growth.

With the establishment of the critical minerals working group, the AI Dialogue, and enhanced defence cooperation, India and Japan are demonstrating a multi-layered approach to bilateral engagement that integrates economic, technological, and security imperatives. These measures underscore the countries’ mutual recognition of the challenges posed by global uncertainties and their determination to collaborate in shaping regional and global economic and security architectures.