India and Japan to Deepen Ties at Annual Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Japan on 29–30 August for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. He will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss regional cooperation, defence, space, and critical minerals. The Ministry of External Affairs has underlined the importance of the Quad grouping, which includes India, Japan, Australia, and the US, in advancing stability and economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Quad has become an essential platform for peace and development. He added that its agenda has broadened to include practical cooperation, especially in areas like critical minerals, ship maintenance, and space technology.
Quad Focus on Critical Minerals
The Quad nations share concerns over China’s growing dominance in global supply chains, particularly critical minerals. Last month, the grouping launched a new minerals initiative to counter Beijing’s influence. India sees this as a key opportunity for collaboration with Japan, with discussions expected to cover joint projects in the sector.
Foreign Secretary Misri emphasised that India’s partnership with Japan is central to advancing innovation and industrial resilience. He also noted that the Quad leaders’ summit will be hosted by New Delhi later this year, despite tensions with Washington over US tariffs on Indian goods under President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Modi to Attend SCO Summit in China
After his visit to Japan, Prime Minister Modi will fly to Tianjin, China, on 31 August for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which runs until 1 September. This will mark his first trip to China in over seven years. Relations between the two neighbours have been strained since the deadly border clash in the Himalayas in 2020.
The SCO, originally a six-nation grouping, now has 10 permanent members along with 16 dialogue and observer countries. While the bloc was initially focused on security and counter-terrorism, it has since widened its role to include economic and military cooperation.
More than 20 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are expected to attend the summit. Modi is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines, although details have not yet been disclosed by the foreign ministry.
with inputs from Reuters