India–Japan Partnership To Strengthen Global South Cooperation

PM Narendra Modi will meet his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, this week to review the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan.

The two leaders will discuss defence and security, trade and economy, technology and innovation, along with regional and global issues of importance.

The upcoming summit marks PM Modi’s first annual meeting with Ishiba and his eighth visit to Japan since 2014. The visit, according to officials, will reaffirm the ‘longstanding special bond of friendship’ between the two countries.

It comes shortly after Japan hosted the Africa Summit, underlining both nations’ growing engagement with the Global South.

India–Japan Partnership and the Global South

Foreign policy experts believe the India–Japan partnership could serve as a key driver of inclusive growth for developing nations. Japan has already invested in African infrastructure projects, positioning the Indian Ocean as a ‘highway of commerce’ connecting Africa with India and Japan.

According to retired IFS officer Gurjit Singh, this strategy envisions Africa supplying raw materials, India carrying out value-added processing, and Japan consuming refined products under a ‘China-plus-one’ model.

In a fresh development, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced a $40 million investment in Aavishkaar Capital’s Global Supply Chain Support Fund in India.

The initiative will support sustainable SMEs in Asia and Africa, particularly in agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing.

Analysts view this as a stepping stone for greater private-sector involvement in building resilient supply chains and advancing Indo-Japanese cooperation.

After concluding his visit on August 29, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On the sidelines, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders participating in the summit.

Also Read: PM Modi To Visit Japan For 15th Annual Summit; Reaffirming Commitment To A Stable Indo-Pacific