India, Japan Put Cross-Border Terror at Heart of Strategic Partnership

India and Japan have significantly strengthened their joint position on terrorism, explicitly condemning cross-border terrorism and calling for decisive action against those responsible for the Pahalgam attack in what marks one of the strongest formulations in recent bilateral statements.

The joint statement issued after the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations. The two countries specifically referred to the Pahalgam terrorist attack and The Resistance Front (TRF), calling for the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors to be brought to justice.

The statement also stressed that terrorist attacks cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group and called for sustained international cooperation to combat terrorism.

Security Ties Expand

The sharper language on terrorism accompanied a broader expansion of strategic cooperation across defence, technology and economic security.

India and Japan have signed agreements covering artificial intelligence, critical minerals, semiconductors, clean energy and resilient supply chains. The two countries also announced their first defence co-development project, expanded defence industrial cooperation and agreed to deepen collaboration in emerging technologies critical to long-term economic and national security.

The summit reaffirmed the importance of strengthening defence exchanges, enhancing maritime cooperation and promoting closer industrial partnerships as both countries seek to build more resilient strategic capabilities.

Partnership Broadens

The agreements reflect the continuing evolution of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership beyond its traditional focus on infrastructure and investment.

In recent years, cooperation has increasingly centred on defence manufacturing, trusted technologies, supply-chain resilience and economic security, driven by shared concerns over geopolitical uncertainty and vulnerabilities in critical industries.

The latest initiatives reinforce that shift by linking economic cooperation more closely with strategic and security objectives.

Regional Security Backdrop

The renewed emphasis on terrorism comes amid a challenging regional security environment.

Pakistan continues to face a deteriorating internal security situation along its western frontier, where militant violence has intensified. At the same time, India has continued to press the international community to hold those responsible for cross-border terrorism accountable.

Against that backdrop, the joint statement signals growing alignment between New Delhi and Tokyo on regional security issues extending beyond the Indo-Pacific.

Strategic Convergence Grows

The explicit reference to the Pahalgam attack and TRF distinguishes this year's joint statement from previous India-Japan summit declarations, underscoring a deeper convergence on counterterrorism alongside expanding cooperation in defence and advanced technologies.

The combination of stronger security language and new defence initiatives reflects the increasingly strategic nature of bilateral ties, with both countries seeking to strengthen coordination on regional stability, economic resilience and shared security challenges.