:India–Japan relations

{{Main|History of India–Japan relations}}

{{main|Hinduism in Japan}}

Hinduism and Shintoism incorporate animism within their core belief systems. Shintoism is theorised to have evolved from pre-historic shamanistic practices that were also found across North East Asia and may have been the most primitive intrinsic form of spiritual belief system held by humans throughout the world. Chinese dynastic histories mention the importance of designated shamans among early religious practices in Japan but not Korea.{{sfn|McBride|2006|p=28}} Shintoism is often thought of as having derived from the earliest animistic practices of the ancestors of Japan, the earliest type of belief system found across humanity, with strong influences from China and India in latter millennia, and "early shintoism" shares some similarities with other indigenous belief systems found in tribal communities.{{Cite web |title=Encyclopedia of Shinto詳細 |url=https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/id=8946 |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=國學院大學デジタルミュージアム |language=ja}}{{Cite journal |title=Animism |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003285540-3/animism-tanka-subba |journal=Taylor & Francis |language=en |doi=10.4324/9781003285540-3/animism-tanka-subba |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220826200618/https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003285540-3/animism-tanka-subba |archive-date=2022-08-26}}{{Blockquote|text=In my opinion, if all our rich and educated men once go and see Japan, their eyes will be opened. |author=Swami Vivekananda |source= The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Conversations and Dialogues/VI – X Shri Priya Nath Sinha}}

Though Hinduism is a little-practiced religion in Japan, it has still had a significant, but indirect role in the formation of Japanese culture through Buddhism. Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of Yoga and pagodas. Many of the facets of Hindu culture which have influenced Japan have also influenced Chinese culture. People have written books on the worship of Hindu gods in Japan.Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. (New Delhi, 2003) {{ISBN|81-7936-009-1}}. Even today, it is claimed Japan encourages a deeper study of Hindu gods.[http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=adc05bf7-cfee-4a6a-80cb-4468ddd49c41 "Japan wants to encourage studies of Hindu gods"] Satyen Mohapatra {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301180754/https://www.hindustantimes.com/ |date=1 March 2020 }}

{{main|Buddhism in Japan}}

Buddhism has been practised in Japan since its official introduction in 552 CE according to the Nihon Shoki{{cite book |author=Bowring, Richard John |title=The religious traditions of Japan, 500–1600 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |year=2005 |pages=16–17 |isbn=978-0-521-85119-0 }} from Baekje, Korea by Buddhist monks.{{cite book |author=Bowring, Richard John |title=The religious traditions of Japan, 500–1600 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge, UK |year=2005 |pages=15–17 |isbn=978-0-521-85119-0 }}{{cite book |author1=Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata |author2=De Bary, William Theodore |title=Sources of Japanese tradition |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York |year=2001 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sourcesofjapanes00colu/page/100 100] |isbn=978-0-231-12138-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/sourcesofjapanes00colu/page/100 }} Buddhism has had a major influence on the development of Japanese society and remains an influential aspect of the culture to this day.Asia Society [http://asiasociety.org/countries/religions-philosophies/buddhism-japan Buddhism in Japan]. Retrieved July 2012 Japanese Buddhism is originally derived from the Chinese cannon, with influences from the Tibetan cannon and Pali cannon.{{Cite web |title=Pali Canon: One of the Three Great Canons of Buddhist Scriptures |url=https://www.learnreligions.com/the-pali-canon-450130 |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Learn Religions |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=THE BUDDHIST CANON {{!}} Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai |url=https://bdk-seiten.com/eiyaku.php?lang=en |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=bdk-seiten.com}}

File:NaraTodaijiDaibutsu0212.jpg (Vairocana) Tōdai-ji temple, Japan]]

File:Hogonji12s3200.jpg, one of the Seven Gods of Fortune in Japan, evolved from the Hindu deity Saraswati.]]

File: Subhas Chandra 1943 Tokyo.jpg

Cultural exchanges between India and Japan began early in the 6th century with the introduction of Buddhism to Japan from India. The Indian monk Bodhisena arrived in Japan in 736 to spread Buddhism and performed eye-opening of the Great Buddha built-in Tōdai-ji, and would remain in Japan until his death in 760. Buddhism and the intrinsically linked Indian culture had a great impact on Japanese culture, still felt today, and resulted in a natural sense of amiability between the two nations.{{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/india/index.html|title=Japan-India Relations|publisher=Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs|access-date=8 November 2008}}

As a result of the link of Buddhism between India and Japan, monks and scholars often embarked on voyages between the two nations.{{Cite book|title=Interracial Intimacy in Japan|first=Gary P.|last=Leupp|publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|year=2003|isbn=978-0-8264-6074-5|page=37}} Ancient records from the now-destroyed library at Nalanda University in India describe scholars and pupils who attended the school from Japan.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/09/opinion/09garten.html|title=Really Old School|last=Garten|first=Jeffrey|date=9 December 2006|work=The New York Times|access-date=8 November 2008}} One of the most famous Japanese travellers to the Indian subcontinent was Tenjiku Tokubei (1612–1692), whose nickname was derived from the Japanese name for India. Relations between the two nations have continued since then, but direct political exchange began only in the Meiji era (1868–1912), when Japan embarked on the process of modernisation.{{cite web|url=http://www.embassyofindiajapan.org/world.html|title=India-Japan relations|work=Embassy of India, Tokyo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512153529/http://www.embassyofindiajapan.org/world.html |archive-date=12 May 2008 |access-date=8 November 2008}}

In 1899 Tokyo Imperial University set up a chair in Sanskrit and Pali, with a further chair in Comparative religion being set up in 1903. In this environment, a number of Indian students came to Japan in the early twentieth century, founding the Oriental Youngmen's Association in 1900.{{cite book|title=India and Japan: dimensions of their relations : historical and political |year=1986 |author=Poomagame Anantharamaiah Narasimha Murthy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wpuAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Oriental+Youngmen%27s+Association%22}}{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.13295|quote=Oriental Youngmen's Association.|title=Indian Revolutionary Movement Abroad, 1905-1921|publisher=Sterling|author=Tilak Raj Sareen|year=1979}}

File: Toyama Mitsuru honors Rash Behari Bose.jpg (the second from the right) in his honour by his close Japanese friends, Mitsuru Tōyama, a Pan-Asianism leader (center, behind the table), and Tsuyoshi Inukai, future Japanese prime minister (to the right of Tōyama). 1915.]] File: Flag of India and Japan.svg

Sureshchandra Bandopadhyay, Manmatha Nath Ghosh and Hariprobha Takeda were among the earliest Indians who visited Japan and wrote on their experiences there.{{cite web|last=Das|first=Subrata Kumar|title=Early light on the land of the rising sun|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=53428|work=The Daily Star|access-date=16 September 2013|date=5 September 2008|archive-date=14 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214062040/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=53428|url-status=dead}} As India was then a British colony, Indo-Japanese relations were boosted by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. However, other emerging movements would strengthen relations between the two nations. Pan-Asian ideals and the Indian independence movement saw India and Japan grow closer, reaching their apogee during the Second World War. Relations between Britain and Japan had started to deteriorate since the end of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance on 17 August 1923 due to American pressure. Many Indian independence activists escaped to Japan, including activist Rash Behari Bose which furthered Indo-Japanese relations.

Japan started the Pacific phase of the Second World War by attacking British, Dutch, and American possessions in Asia. The Japanese eventually aimed to capture the British colony of Burma, establishing an alliance with the Indian National Army, an Indian nationalist organisation which adopted the "an enemy of our enemy is our friend" attitude, a legacy that is still controversial today given the war crimes committed by Imperial Japan and its allies.{{cite web|url=https://japan-forward.com/how-the-revolutionary-netaji-bose-eyed-japans-help-to-break-india-free-from-britain/|title=How the Revolutionary Netaji Bose Eyed Japan's Help to Break India Free from Britain|access-date=5 October 2024|website=japan-forward.com/|date=30 January 2022 }}

Since India was a British colony when the Second World War broke out, it was deemed to have entered the war on the side of the Allies. Over 2 million Indians participated in the war; many served in combat against the Japanese who briefly occupied British Burma and reached the Indian border. Some 67,000 Indian soldiers were captured by the Japanese when Singapore surrendered in 1942, many of whom later became part of the Japanese-sponsored Indian National Army (INA). In 1944–45, combined British and Indian forces defeated the Japanese in a series of battles in Burma and the INA disintegrated.{{cite book|author=Ian Sumner|title=The Indian Army 1914–1947|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SylfQK3VZNYC&pg=PA23|year=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|pages=23–29|isbn=9781841761961}}

{{main|Indian National Army|First Indian National Army}}

File:Fujiwara Kikan.jpg of Japan greets Captain Mohan Singh of the First Indian National Army, April 1942.]]

Subhas Chandra Bose, who led the Azad Hind, a nationalist movement which aimed to end British rule in India through military means, used Japanese sponsorship to form the Azad Hind Fauj or Indian National Army (INA). The INA was composed mainly of former prisoners of war from the Indian Army who had been captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore.Joyce C. Lebra, Jungle Alliance, Japan and the Indian National Army (1971) p 20 Japanese forces included INA units in many battles, most notably at the U Go Offensive at Manipur. The offensive culminated in the Battles of Imphal and Kohima where the Japanese forces were pushed back and the INA lost cohesion.

At the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, Indian Justice Radhabinod Pal became famous for delivering a dissenting judgment in favour of Japan. The judgment of Justice Radhabinod Pal is echoed even today by many groups in Japan, who use it to portray Japan as victim, thereby allowing Japan to whitewash Japan's war crimes.{{cite book | url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498528351/Neonationalist-Mythology-in-Postwar-Japan-Pals-Dissenting-Judgment-at-the-Tokyo-War-Crimes-Tribunal | title=Neonationalist Mythology in Postwar Japan: Pal's Dissenting Judgment at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal }}{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.gov/iwg/japanese-war-crimes/introductory-essays.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.archives.gov |access-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190336/http://www.archives.gov/iwg/japanese-war-crimes/introductory-essays.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}} This became a symbol of the close ties between India and Japan.

On 15 August 1947, Japan was among the first nations to recognise Indian sovereignty after its independence from the United Kingdom. A relatively well-known result of the two nations' was in 1949, when India sent the Tokyo Zoo two elephants to cheer the spirits of the defeated Japanese empire.{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/15/stories/2007021508320200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228020613/http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/15/stories/2007021508320200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 February 2008|title=India, Japan and world peace |last=Nayar|first=Mandira|access-date=11 November 2008|location=Chennai, India|work=The Hindu|date=15 February 2007}}{{cite book |title=My Days with Nehru |year=1979 |publisher=Vikas Publishing House |last=Mathai |first=M.O.}}

India refused to attend the San Francisco Peace Conference in 1951 due to its concerns over limitations imposed upon Japanese sovereignty and national independence.{{cite web|url=http://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article1399.html |title=Nehru and Non-alignment |access-date=31 October 2009 |date=2 June 2009 |work=P.V. Narasimha Rao }} After the restoration of Japan's sovereignty, Japan and India signed a peace treaty, establishing official diplomatic relations on 28 April 1952, in which India waived all reparation claims against Japan. This treaty was one of the first treaties Japan signed after World War II. Diplomatic, trade, economic, and technical relations between India and Japan were well established. India's iron ore helped Japan's recovery from World War II devastation, and following Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi's visit to India in 1957, Japan started providing yen loans to India in 1958, as the first yen loan aid extended by the Japanese government.

In India, there was great admiration for Japan's post-war economic reconstruction and subsequent rapid growth.{{cite web|url=http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/press_release/2008/Feb/7.asp|title=Ambassador Ronen Sen's remarks at a luncheon meeting of the Japan Society in New York|access-date=8 November 2008|website=indianembassy.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907214250/http://indianembassy.org/newsite/press_release/2008/Feb/7.asp|archive-date=7 September 2008|url-status=dead}} Relations between the two nations were constrained, however, by Cold War politics. Japan, as a result of World War II reconstruction, was a U.S. ally, whereas India pursued a non-aligned foreign policy, often leaning towards the Soviet Union. Since the 1980s, however, efforts were made to strengthen bilateral ties. India's ‘Look East’ policy posited Japan as a key partner. Since 1986, Japan has become India's largest aid donor, and remains so.

Relations between the two nations reached a brief low in 1998 as a result of Pokhran-II, an Indian nuclear weapons test that year. Japan imposed sanctions on India following the test, which included the suspension of all political exchanges and the cutting of economic assistance. These sanctions were lifted three years later. Relations improved exponentially following this period, as bilateral ties between the two nations improved once again,{{cite web|url=http://www.ipcs.org/IPCS-IssueBrief-No43.pdf |title=India-Japan Relations |last=Mansingh |first=Lalit |access-date=11 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625172745/http://ipcs.org/IPCS-IssueBrief-No43.pdf |archive-date=25 June 2007 }} to the point where the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe was to be the chief guest at India's 2014 Republic Day parade.{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Japanese-Prime-Minister-Shinzo-Abe-to-be-Republic-Day-chief-guest/articleshow/28479037.cms |title=Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to be Republic Day chief guest |date=6 January 2014 |newspaper=The Times of India |agency=Press Trust of India |access-date=6 January 2014}}

File: Subhas Chandra Bose (tokyo).JPG, Tokyo. Bose's ashes are stored in the temple in a golden pagoda.]]

In 2014, the Indian PM Narendra Modi visited Japan. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi had maintained good ties with the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. His 2014 visit further strengthened the ties between the two countries, and resulted in several key agreements, including the establishment of a "Special Strategic Global Partnership".{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/indias-modi-maintains-warm-ties-with-japans-abe/article20336839/|title=India's Modi maintains warm ties with Japan's Abe |author=Iain Marlow |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=3 September 2014 }}{{cite news |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-02/news/53479980_1_shinzo-abe-strategic-global-partnership-japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904032531/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-02/news/53479980_1_shinzo-abe-strategic-global-partnership-japan |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 September 2014 |title=India, Japan sign key agreements; to share 'Special Strategic Global Partnership' |date=2 September 2014 |newspaper = The Economic Times |author=Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury }}

Modi visited Japan for the second time as Prime Minister in November 2016. During the meeting, India and Japan signed the "Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy", a landmark civil nuclear agreement, under which Japan supplied nuclear reactors, fuel, and technology to India. India is not a signatory to the non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and is the only non-signatory to receive an exemption from Japan.{{cite news|title=India, Japan sign landmark civil nuclear deal – Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Japan-sign-landmark-civil-nuclear-deal/articleshow/55371858.cms|website=The Times of India|date=11 November 2016 |access-date=11 November 2016}} The two sides also signed agreements on manufacturing skill development in India, cooperation in space, earth sciences, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, transport and urban development.{{cite web|last1=Roche|first1=Elizabeth|title=India, Japan sign landmark civilian nuclear deal|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/alJ9XsoWmUkcyPYO0HDDOK/India-Japan-sign-civil-nuclear-deal.html|website=Livemint|access-date=11 November 2016|date=11 November 2016}}

Yogendra Puranik, popularly known as Yogi, became the first elected India-born City Councillor in Japan, to represent the City Council of Edogawa City in Tokyo. His victory was well received by the mass public and media, not just in India and Japan but across the globe including China.

In August 2000, the Japanese Prime Minister visited India. At this meeting, Japan and India agreed to establish a "Japan-India Global Partnership in the 21st Century." Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee visited Japan in December 2001, where both Prime Ministers issued the "Japan-India Joint Declaration." In April 2005, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi visited India and signed Joint Statement "Japan-India Partnership in the New Asian Era: Strategic Orientation of Japan-India Global Partnership."

Japan is the 3rd largest investor in the Indian economy with cumulative FDI inflows of $30.27 billion from 2000 to 2019, contributing 7.2% to India's total FDI inflows during the same period. The imports to India from Japan stood at $12.77 billion from 2018 to 2019, making it India's 14th largest import partner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.investindia.gov.in/country/japan-plus|title=Japan Plus|website=investindia.gov.in}}File: PM Modi meets Akihito, the Emperor of Japan.jpgIn October 2008, Japan signed an agreement with India under which it would provide the latter a low-interest loan worth US$4.5 billion to construct a railway project between Delhi and Mumbai. This is the single largest overseas project being financed by Japan and reflected a growing economic partnership between the two nations. India is also one of the only three countries in the world with whom Japan has a security pact. As of 2022, Japan has been the third-largest investor in India over the previous two decades.{{cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/podcast/economy-policy/what-does-japan-s-42-billion-investment-mean-for-india-122032200088_1.html |title=What does Japan's $42 billion investment mean for India? |publisher=Business Standard |date=2022-03-21 |first1=Bhaswar |last1=Kumar |first2=Krishna Veera |last2=Vanamali}}

Kenichi Yoshida, a director of Softbridge Solutions Japan, stated in late 2009 that Indian engineers were becoming the backbone of Japan's IT industry and that "it is important for Japanese industry to work together with India". Under the memorandum, any Japanese coming to India for business or work will be straightway granted a three-year visa and similar procedures will be followed by Japan. Other highlights of this visit include the abolition of customs duties on 94 per cent of trade between the two nations over the next decade. As per the Agreement, tariffs will be removed on almost 90 per cent of Japan's exports to India and 97 per cent of India's exports to Japan Trade between the two nations has also steadily been growing.{{cite web |url=https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Japan-India-Relations/cepa(r).pdf |title=Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) |publisher=Embassy of Japan in India}}

India and Japan signed an agreement in December 2015 to build a bullet train line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad using Japan's Shinkansen technology,{{cite web|url=http://newsbing.com/world/japan-pm-abe-returns-home-after-fruitful-india-visit/275|title=Japan PM Abe returns home after 'fruitful' India visit|date=21 December 2015|website=newsbing.com|access-date=2015-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082658/http://newsbing.com/world/japan-pm-abe-returns-home-after-fruitful-india-visit/275|archive-date=2015-12-22|url-status=dead}} with a loan from Japan of £12bn.

More than four-fifths of the project's $19bn (£14.4bn) cost will be funded by a 0.1% interest-rate loan from Japan as part of a deepening economic relationship.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/14/india-starts-work-on-its-first-bullet-train-line|title=India starts work on bullet train line with £12bn loan from Japan|last=Safi|first=Michael|date=14 September 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-09-14|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

In January 2021, India and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding covering information and communications technology with a focus on 5G.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-15 |title=India, Japan sign MoU to enhance cooperation in ICT, including 5G tech |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/india-japan-sign-mou-to-enhance-cooperation-in-ict-including-5g-tech/article33582217.ece |website=BusinessLine |first1=S. Ronendra |last1=Singh |first2=Amiti |last2=Sen|language=en}}

On 19 March 2022, during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged a 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) investment in India over the next five years.{{cite news |title=Japan PM Kishida announces $42 billion investment in India |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/japan-pm-kishida-announces-42-billion-investment-india-2022-03-19/ |access-date=20 March 2022 |work=Reuters |date=19 March 2022}}

In July 2023, the countries signed a new memorandum of understanding to develop the semiconductor industry.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-27 |title=India-Japan Trade and Business Cooperation: New Frontier Areas |url=https://www.india-briefing.com/news/india-japan-trade-investment-data-fy2023-new-frontier-areas-cooperation-29096.html/|website=India Briefing News}}{{Cite web|date=2023-08-08 |title=India and Japan reach semiconductors agreements |url=https://techhq.com/2023/08/india-japans-silicon-handshakes |website=TechHQ |language=en-US}}

File: Malabar 07-2 exercise.jpg and Indian Navy warships took part in the Malabar 2007 naval exercises off India's western coast, one of the many such multilateral exercises Japan has taken part in symbolising close military co-operation between India and Japan.]]

India and Japan also have close military ties. They have shared interests in maintaining the security of sea-lanes in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean, and in co-operation for fighting international crime, terrorism, piracy and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.{{Cite journal|last=Roy Choudhury|first=Srabani|date=2 October 2017|title=Shinzō Abe's India Visit: A Prologue|url=http://www.indrastra.com/2017/09/India-Visit-of-Shinzo-Abe-Prologue-003-09-2017-0013.html|journal=IndraStra Global|volume=003|issue=September (09)|pages=0013|issn=2381-3652}} The two nations have frequently held joint military exercises and co-operate on technology. India and Japan concluded a security pact on 22 October 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.india-server.com/news/india-and-japan-sign-security-pact-4369.html|title=India And Japan Sign Security Pact|publisher=IndiaServer|date=23 October 2008|access-date=19 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127140311/http://www.india-server.com/news/india-and-japan-sign-security-pact-4369.html|archive-date=27 November 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/india/pmv0810/joint_d.html|title=Joint Declaration on Security Co-operation between Japan and India|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|date=22 October 2008|access-date=19 October 2009}}

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seen by some to have been an "Indophile" and, with rising tensions in territorial disputes with Japan's neighbours, advocated closer security cooperation with India.{{cite news|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/01/india-japan-defense-ministers-agree-to-expand-strategic-cooperation/|title=India-Japan Defense Ministers Agree To Expand Strategic Cooperation|author=Ankit Panda|date=8 January 2014|work=The Diplomat|access-date=9 January 2014}}[http://world.time.com/2014/01/27/japan-and-india-bolster-ties/ Japan and India Bolster Trade and Defense Ties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226133905/http://world.time.com/2014/01/27/japan-and-india-bolster-ties/ |date=26 February 2014 }} Time

In July 2014, the Indian Navy participated in Exercise Malabar with the Japanese and US navies, reflecting shared perspectives on Indo-Pacific maritime security. India is also negotiating to purchase US-2 amphibious aircraft for the Indian Navy.{{cite web|author=David Brewster|url= http://www.gatewayhouse.in/india-japan-malabar-2014-a-good-beginning/|title= Malabar 2014: a Good Beginning. Retrieved 13 August 2014|date= 29 July 2014}}

In November 2016, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a three-day visit to Japan signed a deal with his counterpart Shinzo Abe on nuclear energy.{{cite web |author=Dipankan Bandopadhyay |title=India and the Nukes |url=http://www.politicsnow.in/india-and-the-nukes/ |access-date=15 November 2016 |publisher=Politics Now}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} The deal took six years to negotiate, delayed in part by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. This is the first time that Japan signed such deal with a non-signatory of Non-Proliferation Treaty. The deal gives Japan the right to supply nuclear reactors, fuel and technology to India. This deal aimed to help India build the six nuclear reactors in southern India, increasing nuclear energy capacity ten-fold by 2032.{{cite news |title=India, Japan Sign Landmark Nuclear Energy Deal After 6 Years Of Talks: 10 Points |url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nuclear-deal-big-focus-in-pm-narendra-modis-japan-visit-10-points-1624104 |access-date=12 November 2016 |publisher=NDTV}}{{cite news |title=India, Japan sign landmark civil nuclear deal – Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-Japan-sign-landmark-civil-nuclear-deal/articleshow/55371858.cms |access-date=12 November 2016 |work=The Times of India}}{{cite news |last1=Bhattacherjee, Kallol |first1=Kallol |date=11 November 2016 |title=Japan has option to scrap N-deal |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/india-japan-sign-civil-nuclear-deal/article9334140.ece |access-date=12 November 2016 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}

File: Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe, 2014.jpg of India and Prime Minister Shinzō Abe of Japan, during the former's bilateral visit to Japan, 2014]]

File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in a Bilateral Meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Yoshihide Suga, in Washington DC, USA on September 23, 2021 (3).jpg in a Bilateral Meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, in Washington, D.C., USA on 22 September 2021]] Both India and Japan are committed to a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific", and India has strategically cooperated with Japan through the Act East policy. The strategic partnership between India and Japan is seen as a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.{{Cite web |last=Jake |date=2023-05-13 |title=Japan and India are pillars of a free and open Indo-Pacific |url=https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2023/05/13/japan-and-india-are-pillars-of-a-free-and-open-indo-pacific/ |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=East Asia Forum |language=en}}

In August 2017, the two countries announced the establishment of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of the North-Eastern Region, described by India as "a coordination forum to identify priority development areas of cooperation for development" of northeast India. The forum will focus on strategic projects aimed at improving connectivity, roads, electric infrastructure, food processing, disaster management, and promoting organic farming and tourism in northeast India. A Japanese embassy spokesperson stated that the development of the northeast was a "priority" for India and its Act East Policy and that Japan placed a "special emphasis on cooperation in North East for its geographical importance connecting India to South-East Asia and historical ties".{{cite web |last1=Bhaskar |first1=Utpal |date=3 August 2017 |title=India, Japan join hands for big infrastructure push in Northeast |url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/8T9Q9wBg1s4JKRwFgChMDO/India-Japan-join-hands-for-big-infra-push-in-Northeast-Indi.html |access-date=11 February 2018 |website=livemint.com/}} The forum held its first meeting on 3 August 2017.{{cite web |title=First meeting of Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region held |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=169591 |access-date=11 February 2018 |website=pib.nic.in}}

In May 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a new Indo-Pacific plan during his visit to India.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-21 |title=Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announces new Indo-Pacific plan during India visit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/21/japan-pm-kishida-announces-new-indo-pacific-plan-during-india-visit.html |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

File:Narendra Modi at Taimei Elementary School in Tokyo.jpg

Japan and India have strong cultural ties, based mainly on Japanese Buddhism, which remains widely practised through Japan even today. The Japan–India Association was founded in 1903.{{cite web |title=History of The Japan-India Association |url=http://www.japan-india.com/english/about_us/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521160253/http://www.japan-india.com/english/about_us/history |archive-date=21 May 2009 |access-date=1 November 2009 |website=japan-india.com}} The two nations announced 2007, the 50th anniversary year of the Indo-Japan Cultural Agreement, as the Indo-Japan Friendship and Tourism-Promotion Year, holding cultural events in both the countries.{{cite web|url=http://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Friendship_Year2007/join.html|title=Japan-India Friendship Year 2007|access-date=8 November 2008|website=in.emb-japan.go.jp}}{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/india-japan-committed-to-developing-cultural-ties/article1934820.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=India, Japan committed to developing cultural ties | date=23 October 2007}} One such cultural event is the annual Namaste India Festival, which started in Japan over twenty years ago and is now the largest festival of its kind in the world.{{cite web|url=http://ja.japantravel.com/tokyo/namaste-india-festival-in-tokyo/15447|title=Namaste India Festival in Tokyo|website=ja.japantravel.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indofestival.com/indexE.html|title=Namaste India 2016|website=indofestival.com}} At the 2016 festival, representatives from Onagawa town performed, as a sign of appreciation for the support the town received from the Indian Government during the Great East Japan Earthquake.{{cite web|url=http://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/Japan-India-Relations/Memorial%20event.html|title=Embassy of Japan in India|website=in.emb-japan.go.jp}} The Indian National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team had been dispatched in Onagawa for its first overseas mission and conducted search and rescue operations for missing people.

Starting 3 July 2014, Japan has been issuing multiple entry visas for the short term stay of Indian nationals.{{cite web |date=3 July 2014 |title=Japan to issue multiple entry visa to Indians for short stay |url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/07/japan-to-issue-multiple-entry-visa-to-indians-for-short-stay/ |access-date=3 July 2014 |publisher=news.biharprabha.com |agency=Indo-Asian News Service}}

Centuries of cultural exchanges between the two countries created many parallels in their folklore. Modern popular culture based upon this folklore, such as works of fantasy fiction in manga and anime, sometimes bear references to common deities (deva), demons (asura) and philosophical concepts. The Indian goddess Saraswati for example, is known as Benzaiten in Japan. Brahma, known as 'Bonten', and Yama, known as 'Enma', are also part of the traditional Japanese Buddhist pantheon. In addition to the common Buddhist influence on the two societies, Shintoism, being an animist religion, is similar to the animist strands of Hinduism, in contrast to the religions present in the rest of the world, which are monotheistic. Sanskrit, a classical language used in Buddhism and Hinduism, is still used by some ancient Chinese priests who immigrated to Japan, and the Siddhaṃ script is still written to this day, despite having passed out of usage in India. It is also thought that the distinctive torii gateways at temples in Japan, may be related to the torana gateways used in Indian temples.

An increase in cultural exchange occurred during the mid-late 20th century through Asian cinema, with Indian cinema and Japanese cinema both experiencing a "golden age" during the 1950s and 1960s. Indian films by Satyajit Ray, Guru Dutt{{cite web |year=2001 |title=Asian Film Series No.9 GURU DUTT Retorospective |url=http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/culture/new/old/0101/01_03.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620144748/http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/culture/new/old/0101/01_03.html |archive-date=20 June 2009 |access-date=13 May 2009 |publisher=Japan Foundation}} were influential in Japan, while Japanese films by Akira Kurosawa,{{Cite web |last=Uniyal |first=Parmita |date=2009-09-11 |title=Akira Kurosawa comes to Delhi! |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/akira-kurosawa-comes-to-delhi/story-Avfv2UNjmK4Xy730OjybIO.html |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}} Yasujirō Ozu and Takashi Shimizu have likewise been influential in India.

Osamu Tezuka wrote a biographical manga Buddha from 1972 to 1983. On 10 April 2006, a Japanese delegation proposed to raise funds and provide other support for rebuilding the world-famous ancient Nalanda University, an ancient Buddhist centre of learning in Bihar, into a major international institution of education.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2006/04/10/japanese-delegation-offer-assistance-in-rebuiling-nalanda-univ-1144670863.html|title=Japan offer assistance in rebuiling Nalanda University|last=Staff|date=10 April 2006|website=Oneindia|language=en|access-date=2019-03-13}}

India and Japan also have a strong relationship through Japanese media. One of the first Indian animated films, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, was co-produced and animated by Japan. Many Japanese anime TV shows are dubbed into Hindi, Tamil and Telugu and aired in India. In February 2005, Doraemon became the first anime to be introduced in India,{{citation needed|date=February 2022}} which currently airs on Disney Channel. More than thirty Doraemon feature films have been dubbed and telecasted, making it the most number of movies from a particular anime series to be aired in India. Other popular anime in India include the Pokémon series, Crayon Shin-Chan, Dragon Ball Z, and Ninja Hattori-kun. Anime films are also distributed in Indian theatres.{{cite web|title=Shiksha Verma, "Indian Anime Movement Brings Japan's Blockbuster 'Weathering With You' To India: The movie is from Makoto Shinkai, the director of 'Your Name', which is Japan's highest-grossing animated movie ever with $235 million." |url=http://www.businessworld.in/article/Indian-Anime-Movement-Brings-Japan-s-Blockbuster-Weathering-With-You-To-India-/12-09-2019-176036|website=BW Businessworld|date= September 2019}}

Tamil movies are popular in Japan, with Rajnikanth being the most popular Indian actor in the country. His movie Muthu was a huge commercial blockbuster in Japan and earned lots of acclaim from the Japanese audience. Other Indian movies such as Magadheera, 3 Idiots, Enthiran, English Vinglish and Bahubali were successful in Japan too.{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/rajinikanth-magic-in-japan-yet-again-358614.html|title=Rajinikanth magic in Japan, yet again|date=27 June 2012|publisher=Firstpost}} Bollywood has become more popular among the Japanese people in recent decades,[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/03/31/films/bollywood-bigwigs-hope-japan-fans-are-in-it-for-keeps/ Bollywood bigwigs hope Japan fans are in it for keeps] The Japan Times[https://web.archive.org/web/20131006074323/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/japan-the-fast-emerging-market-for-bollywood-films/426727-8-66.html Japan: The fast emerging market for Bollywood films] CNN-IBN and the Indian yogi and pacifist Dhalsim is one of the most popular characters in the Japanese video game series Street Fighter.{{Cite web |last=Hills |first=Dakota |date=2021-08-15 |title=Dhalsim was among the most popular characters at Evo 2021 in Street Fighter 5 where only 1 saw no play |url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2021/aug/15/street-fighter-evo-usage/ |website=EventHubs |language=en}}

{{Portal|India|Japan}}

{{commons}}

• Foreign relations of India
• Foreign relations of Japan
• Japanese–Meitei cultural relations
• Buddhism in Japan
• Hinduism in Japan
• Indians in Japan
• Japanese people in India
• Japanese language education in India
• Japanese curry
• List of anime distributed in India
• {{section link|Manga outside Japan|India}}
• Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
• Yamuna Action Plan (YAP)
• Asia-Africa Growth Corridor
• Video games in India

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• [http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/india/index.html Japan-India Relations] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
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Category:Bilateral relations of Japan

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