India-Japan Summit 2025: A New Era of Digital, Space, and Economic Partnership

India and Japan have stepped into a new phase of partnership, setting ambitious goals that will shape technology, security, and the economy in Asia and beyond. During the 15th Annual Summit in Tokyo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba concluded a sweeping set of agreements—heralding what they call a “Digital Partnership 2.0,” groundbreaking space cooperation, and a robust vision for economic security.

Digital Partnership 2.0: Powering the Next Decade

The India-Japan Digital Partnership 2.0 is the centerpiece of the summit’s tech agenda. This initiative expands existing collaboration on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, digital public infrastructure, and Internet of Things (IoT). It includes new joint R&D projects, talent exchanges, and platforms connecting industry and academia. A major highlight is the Japan-India AI Cooperation Initiative—set to deepen work on Large Language Models (LLMs), develop next-generation data centers in India, and nurture cross-border digital talent.

Prime Minister Modi invited Ishiba for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, underlining the countries’ commitment to lead in global AI policy and innovation.

Space Partnership Takes Flight: Chandrayaan-5 and LUPEX

The countries signed a landmark agreement between ISRO and JAXA for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, known as LUPEX. The joint mission will target the Moon’s south pole, aiming to find water ice in permanently shadowed regions—a crucial step toward future lunar habitation. Japan will supply the H3-24L launch vehicle and a lunar rover, while India will contribute the lander and core scientific payloads.

Both Modi and Ishiba emphasised that this mission is not just about technological prowess, but about fueling an innovation ecosystem that stretches from labs to launchpads to real-world applications—from resource mapping to disaster management and beyond.

Economic Security: Building Resilient Future Supply Chains

Against the backdrop of global trade tensions and shifting supply chains, the leaders established the India-Japan Economic Security Initiative. This partnership targets joint action in semiconductors, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, and clean energy, aiming to secure and diversify essential supplies. A new Memorandum of Cooperation on mineral resources will foster joint exploration, processing technologies, and investment.

A headline announcement was Japan’s pledge to boost private sector investment in India to 10 trillion yen (about $68 billion) in the next ten years, a bold step to double previous goals and create new opportunities in high-tech and manufacturing. The summit also featured plans to facilitate skilled exchanges: 50,000 Indian professionals will help drive Japan’s economy in the coming years, and the two nations will collaborate on human resource development in STEM fields.

People-to-People and Strategic Security

The summit wasn’t just about economics and technology—defence ties and people-to-people links featured prominently. The leaders agreed to deepen defence technology cooperation, expand bilateral military exercises, and commit to a rules-based Indo-Pacific. The security cooperation is set within a broader context of maintaining maritime stability and countering regional challenges.

Conclusion: A Partnership for the Digital Age

The Tokyo summit marks a turning point for India and Japan as trusted allies navigating an era of rapid change. The bold roadmaps in digital technology, space exploration, and joint economic security are more than diplomatic gestures—they’re a blueprint for a safer, smarter, and more interconnected world. As investments flow and missions launch, the fruits of this partnership are certain to resonate well beyond Asia’s shores.