Economic and energy security, AI, defence ties in focus for India-Japan Summit

EConomic certificate, including the conception of resilient furnish chains for semiconductors, vim certificate, enhanced cooperation on artificial intelligence and a greater focus on defence and security are expected to top the agenda for the annual India-Japan Summit this week, people familiar with the matter said.Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit India during July 1-3 with a delegation of more than 100 businesspeople for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to participate in a joint economic forum. The India-Japan Summit, launched two decades ago, will be held on July 2.Besides a joint declaration on economic security cooperation and a joint statement on cooperation in AI, the two sides are expected to finalise about 10 agreements and understandings in areas ranging from upstream development of oil and gas and exploration of critical minerals to pharmaceuticals and next-generation mobility systems, the people said on condition of anonymity.This will be Takaichi’s first visit to India since she became PM last October. The two sides are meeting at a time when Japan is focused on forging closer ties with like-minded regional players such as India, Australia, South Korea and ASEAN states against a backdrop of intense geopolitical churn. Japan perceives India as an “indispensable partner” in advancing Takaichi’s updated version of the vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, the people said.Besides jointly promoting the strengthening of a free and open global order based on rule of law, the two sides should promote economic growth through investments, innovation and stronger cooperation in economic security, including building resilient supply chains in crucial areas such as semiconductors and critical minerals, the people said.The two sides will aim to deepen strategic coordination, based on synergy between Japan’s updated vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and India’s MAHASAGAR vision, and expand defence and security cooperation, with the focus on maritime security, maritime domain awareness and collaboration on defence equipment and technology, the people said.The Japanese side is also looking at the possibility of using Indian naval facilities for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for vessels of the Self-Defense Forces, the people said.In April, the Takaichi administration loosened restrictions on exports of defence equipment and technology, a move that benefits India, one of 17 countries with which Tokyo has concluded Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreements, making them eligible for the export of weapon systems. The two sides are currently engaged in negotiations on the “Unicorn” project for the “unified complex radio antenna” or a common radar mast for Indian warships, which will involve transfer of both equipment and technology.In the context of energy security, the two sides will focus on diversifying energy sources, especially against the backdrop of the challenges created by the West Asia conflict, strengthening cooperation on biogas, and the creation of a large-scale green ammonia production project in Odisha, the people said.The proposed agreements on upstream development of oil and gas and exploration of critical minerals will involve the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, a state-run body that is active in Asia and Africa.