Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour upon her arrival at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday. She was flanked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ceremony. The honour marks the beginning of her three-day official visit to India, during which she will engage in bilateral talks with PM Modi and participate in the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit.
Ceremonial Welcome and Bilateral Talks
The Guard of Honour, a traditional military gesture, underscored the significance of the visit. Takaichi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening and was received by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh at Palam Technical Airport. In a post on X, Singh described the visit as “special significance in the backdrop of growing strategic partnership between the two countries.”
PM Modi welcomed Takaichi, expressing he was “delighted” to host her on her first visit to India. He stated that the two leaders would hold wide-ranging discussions covering bilateral and regional issues, aimed at further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
Economic Commitments and Forums
Japanese media reported that private companies from Japan are set to inject $12.5 billion into the Indian market through approximately 120 cooperation agreements at the 16th Japan-India Annual Summit. This coincides with Takaichi’s first official visit. Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki, who arrived with Takaichi, noted that over 150 companies would participate in the Japan-India Economic Forum, strengthening government-to-government relations in areas such as security and economic security.
Excitement and Strategic Partnership
In a post on X, the Japanese Cabinet Public Relations Officer expressed excitement, saying, “Our heartfelt thanks for your warm welcome. We are very much excited to be visiting India!” The visit is expected to deepen ties between the two nations, with discussions covering a range of bilateral and regional issues.
