In late August, former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted documents to boost cooperation in security and economic areas. Key among them is the 'Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade,' a 10-year bilateral roadmap. This agreement arrives amid heightened uncertainty for India, with strained ties to Washington straining the Quad partnership.
At their late-August summit, former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted a series of documents aimed at enhancing cooperation in security and economic spheres. The centerpiece is the "Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade," a state-level pact charting a 10-year course for bilateral ties.
This deal unfolds against a backdrop of uncertainty for India. Since May, relations between New Delhi and Washington have soured dramatically, weakening India's global standing and exerting unusual pressure on the Quad, the grouping of Japan, India, Australia, and the U.S. dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The routine Quad leaders' summit slated for New Delhi this autumn did not take place, prompting questions about how a fractured Quad might influence Japan-India defense collaboration over the coming decade and what steps Tokyo should take.
For Tokyo, keeping India engaged remains crucial—not just for balancing power in the Indo-Pacific, but also for building supply chains resilient to China. Key figures and entities include Shigeru Ishiba, Narendra Modi, India-Japan relations, the Quad, Australia, U.S., China, Pakistan, Philippines, and defense.