New Delhi

India and Japan have reaffirmed their Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi from January 15 to 17, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), critical minerals, defence, and regional security.

During his visit, Motegi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including supply chain resilience in critical sectors, trade, investment, technology and innovation, defence cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural ties.

“They underlined the importance of further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership in keeping with the outcomes of the 15th Annual Summit of August 2025 and the recent discussions between the Prime Ministers in Johannesburg,” the MEA said.

FM MOTEGI visited the Delhi Metro during his visit to Delhi, #India. Japan provided loans and assisted in the construction of the Delhi Metro, applying methods used in public infrastructure in Japan such as women-only cars, the custom of lining up for the train and braille… pic.twitter.com/1H4QcUPxWm

— MOFA of Japan (@MofaJapan_en) January 17, 2026

Taking forward the Japan-India AI Initiative (JAI) announced by the two Prime Ministers, the Ministers launched an AI Dialogue to provide a coherent push to bilateral cooperation in the sector. They also decided to convene the Joint Working Group on Critical Minerals under the Economic Security Initiative to advance collaboration in rare earth elements and critical minerals, the statement added.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments, stressing the crucial role played by the India-Japan partnership in ensuring a free, open, peaceful, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, the MEA said.

The Ministers also looked forward to celebrating 2027 as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

Earlier, Motegi, accompanied by Japanese Ambassador to India Keiichi Ono, took a ride on the Delhi Metro, highlighting people-to-people engagement during his visit.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a post on X, said Motegi held a “candid exchange of views” with Prime Minister Modi across a wide range of areas, including security and economic security, economy, investment and innovation, including AI, and people-to-people exchanges, with both leaders agreeing to elevate bilateral ties to new heights in line with the Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade.

FM MOTEGI held the 18th Japan–India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with H.E. Dr. Subrahmanyam JAISHANKAR, Minister of External Affairs of India, during his visit to Delhi, #India. Both Ministers concurred to continue to deepen cooperation under the three key areas of… pic.twitter.com/nUF8Urbb08

— MOFA of Japan (@MofaJapan_en) January 16, 2026

Speaking during his opening remarks at the Strategic Dialogue, Jaishankar said India places very high priority on its partnership with Japan, noting that over the past two decades, the relationship has evolved from being primarily economic to a broad, comprehensive and strategic partnership.

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He also referred to cooperation between the two countries in multilateral platforms such as the Quad, United Nations, G4 grouping and the G20.