From bullet train to moon mission: What are key India-Japan projects shaping strategic ties?

Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will arrive in India shortly. As all eyes are set on her meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it must be remembered that India and Japan have a long history of cooperation. The deep relation between the two nations was formally elevated to a "Special Strategic and Global Partnership" in 2014 based on various sectors including defence, technology and energy. Landmark projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail, metro rail networks, the India-Japan Digital Partnership, and the LUPEX lunar mission reflect the growing depth of collaboration.

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Key agreements between India and Japan and major projects

• Japan in India is currently synonymous to Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail because the country is financing and providing technology for India's first bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad that is a 508 km corridor. The technology being provided by Japan is Shinkansen technology.
• Japan was the primary financial and technical partner, providing massive Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to fund nearly 80 per cent of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) total cost. This is 1,506 km electrified rail network serves as the economic backbone for theDelhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
• Japan is the primary external funder formajor Mass Rapid Transit Systems across India, including projects in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.

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• The India-Japan Clean Energy Partnership ties is aiming to develop a hydrogen-ammonia trade corridor and large-scale renewable ammonia plants in Odisha. It also include the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) for carbon reduction.
• Under the digital partnership between the two countries, companies such as NEC and Reliance Jio are collaborating on 5G and Open RAN infrastructure.
• Japan and India are strengthening supply chains through joint initiatives. In this regard, Japanese firm Proterial (formerly Hitachi Metals) invested ₹2,250 crore ($270 million) to establish a state-of-the-art permanent magnet plant
• Japan is investing in strategic infrastructure projects in Northeast India to improve connectivity with South and Southeast Asia. All the projects here are under a forum called Act East Forum Projects. It coordinates development in India’s North-East region, focusing on connectivity, hydropower, forest management, and water supply.
• Joint efforts between the two nations also include establishing a semiconductor ecosystem - such as the OSAT facility in Sanand, Gujarat and the India-Japan Digital Partnership to cooperate on AI, IoT, and 5G technology.
• In space exploration, a landmark collaboration is Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission. This is a collaboration between ISRO and JAXA for the Chandrayaan 5 mission to explore the Moon's polar regions.
• Rudraksh Convention Centre: The International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi, constructed with Japanese grant assistance.