New Delhi, July 2: India and Japan have unveiled an ambitious roadmap to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, announcing the India-Japan Year of Shared Horizons, a year-long celebration aimed at strengthening cooperation in culture, youth engagement, business, technology, sports, education and strategic partnerships.
The landmark announcement came during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s three-day official visit to India, where she held the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and addressed the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum in New Delhi.
As part of the growing strategic partnership, Japan also announced 129 private-sector cooperation agreements (MoUs) involving investments exceeding JPY 2 trillion (approximately USD 12.4 billion), spanning advanced technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, clean energy and manufacturing.
Year of Shared Horizons
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both governments will jointly organize ten major commemorative initiatives across India and Japan throughout 2027, with a special emphasis on engaging young people from both countries.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the celebrations would symbolize the next phase of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
“Looking ahead to 2027, which marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, the two sides have agreed to a list of commemorative outcomes and events with a strong focus on youth. We will celebrate the year 2027 as the India-Japan Year of Shared Horizons,” Misri said.
Prime Minister Takaichi has also invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Japan next year for the annual bilateral summit, which will take place during the anniversary celebrations.
The week beginning April 28, 2027, will officially be observed as India-Japan Week, featuring coordinated outreach activities in both countries.
A public competition will also be launched to design the official anniversary logo and theme, inviting citizens of both nations to envision the future of the India-Japan partnership.
Youth, Culture and Creative Economy
Recognizing the growing popularity of Japanese manga, anime and gaming among Indian youth and India’s emergence as a global hub for animation, gaming and immersive technologies, both countries will launch IMAGE-75, a collaborative platform promoting creative industries and people-to-people exchanges.
The second edition of the India-Japan Ideathon will bring together students, researchers, industry leaders and policy experts from both nations to develop innovative ideas and policy recommendations for the future of bilateral cooperation.
A year-long cultural initiative, RASA-75, will celebrate the performing arts, visual arts, music, dance and traditional heritage of both countries through exhibitions, festivals and artist exchanges.
To strengthen centuries-old civilizational ties, Japan will send a Buddhist delegation to India to visit major Buddhist pilgrimage sites, promoting spiritual tourism and highlighting the shared Buddhist heritage of both nations.
Expanding Sports Cooperation
Sports will also become an important pillar of the anniversary celebrations.
Under SPORT-75, India and Japan will organize joint sporting events and youth exchanges while promoting cooperation ahead of India’s aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
An India-Japan Friendship Cricket Match will be organized during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 as a curtain-raiser to the anniversary celebrations.
Additionally, the Cricket Kizuna-75 initiative will send Indian coaches to Japan for a week-long cricket training camp aimed at developing young Japanese players.
The celebrations will culminate in the India-Japan Sports Week in February 2027, featuring multiple sporting events, including an Ekiden team relay race in the Delhi-NCR region.
Business, Science and Regional Partnerships
Economic cooperation will be further strengthened through Business Connect-75, which aims to create direct partnerships between Indian business clusters and Japanese regional banks, while facilitating trade missions, investment roadshows and business networking events.
In science and technology, Mirai-Vigyan-75 will highlight collaboration in cutting-edge research, including the LUPEX Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, the IIT-H Japan Day and the India-Japan Universities Forum.
The two governments also pledged to accelerate partnerships between Indian states and Japanese prefectures, expand the Governors’ Network for Friendship and Exchange, and encourage greater regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the initiative, saying the anniversary would provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation in culture, tourism and the creative economy.
“We are very happy that next year we are going to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations. On this important occasion, we will further deepen our mutual connection through culture, tourism and creative economy cooperation,” Modi said.
JPY 2 Trillion Investment Package
At the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, Prime Minister Takaichi announced 129 private-sector agreements worth more than JPY 2 trillion, describing the investment package as a major milestone in the bilateral economic partnership.
“Our cooperation is no longer confined to the energy sector alone. The scope of this partnership continues to expand, encompassing startups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. We are pleased to announce approximately 129 private-sector cooperation agreements together with investments exceeding JPY 2 trillion,” she said.
The Japanese Prime Minister emphasized that energy security remains one of the strongest pillars of bilateral cooperation.
She announced a landmark green ammonia production project with an annual capacity of approximately 400,000 tonnes, jointly developed by Indian and Japanese companies.
“I sincerely hope that this project will become a symbol of a new chapter in energy security cooperation between our two countries,” Takaichi said.
The project forms part of broader collaboration under Japan’s Power Asia Initiative, which also includes enhanced petroleum stockpiling and greater regional energy security.
Focus on Semiconductors, AI and Green Energy
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Chairman and CEO Ishiguro Norihiko said Japanese companies have demonstrated unprecedented confidence in India.
“Today, we are pleased to announce 129 MoUs between Japan and India,” he said.
According to JETRO surveys, more than 80 percent of Japanese companies operating in India plan to expand their business in the country.
Norihiko noted that Japanese investments have diversified beyond traditional manufacturing into semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and clean energy.
“Investment in India has gained strong momentum, reaching approximately 2 trillion Japanese Yen in new investment over the past year alone,” he said.
Gateway to the Global South
Takaichi also highlighted India’s growing role as a strategic manufacturing and business hub for Japanese companies expanding into Africa and other emerging markets.
She said Japan and India would jointly extend this development model across the Global South, including Africa, Asia and Latin America, under the framework of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
“Japan and India will pursue the shared vision of growing stronger and more prosperous together. Guided by this principle, our two countries will work together to shape the future of the Indo-Pacific as well as the Global South,” she said.
Industry Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment
Speaking at the forum, Tatsuo Yasunaga, Chairman of the Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee at Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), reaffirmed Japanese industry’s commitment to achieving JPY 10 trillion (approximately USD 62 billion) in investments in India over the next decade while facilitating the exchange of 500,000 people between the two countries.
He emphasized that integrating Japanese technology and quality management with India’s rapidly expanding economy would generate opportunities extending beyond both nations into Africa and the Middle East.
Prime Minister Modi described the India-Japan partnership as one of the world’s most successful strategic relationships, stating that when Japan’s expertise and investment combine with India’s speed, innovation and scale, the benefits extend far beyond the two countries.
He said both governments had reached new agreements covering economic security, artificial intelligence, defence, healthcare and emerging technologies, making the bilateral partnership more dynamic, future-oriented and resilient as both nations prepare to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic friendship in 2027.
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