‘My Younger Sister’: PM Modi Hails Takaichi As India, Japan Sign Defence Co-Development Pact | Watch

India-Japan Annual Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, as his “younger sister” as the two countries signed their first defence co-development pact and unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at deepening their Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

While addressing a joint press conference after holding talks at 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, PM Modi welcomed Takaichi on her maiden visit to India as Japan’s prime minister and said the visit marked the beginning of a “new chapter” in bilateral ties.

“I welcome Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi, my younger sister, to India for her first visit for the India-Japan Annual Summit. She is the first woman Prime Minister of Japan and a visionary

and popular leader,” PM Modi said.

#WATCH | Delhi: During press statement with Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Excellency and my younger sister, Prime Minister Takaichi, delegates from both nations, and members of the media—Namaskar. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Prime… pic.twitter.com/O78kLVnptK

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2026

Calling Takaichi “Japan First Prime Minister”, PM Modi said that New Delhi and Japan shared a common vision for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, adding that technology had become a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.

“Our shared priorities are a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Our technology partnership has become an important pillar of our relationship,” he said.

Both leaders also announced a landmark defence co-development agreement, the first such pact between India and Japan, alongside measures to expand cooperation in economic security, strategic technologies, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals and clean energy.

PM Modi said that Japan had played an important role in India’s growth story and noted that the two countries, now among the world’s five largest economies, would work together to promote peace, stability and a rules-based regional order.

The two prime ministers held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior officials from both sides.

Earlier in the day, Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan before the summit.

Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from July 1 to 3 at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation. The annual summit reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including defence, trade, investment, technology and regional security.

India and Japan elevated their ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. As the two countries prepare to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across strategic, economic and people-to-people sectors.