India and Japan Forge Strategic Partnership to Boost African Development

India and Japan have agreed to leverage India's industrial base to establish a manufacturing, trade, and investment hub for Africa's sustainable development. The cooperation, under a new strategic outlook, also focuses on regional security, disaster risk reduction, and advancing bilateral cooperation across various multilateral issues.

In a move aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa, India and Japan have entered into a strategic partnership tapping into India's industrial capabilities to create a major manufacturing, trade, and investment hub on the continent. A joint statement by the Prime Ministers outlines this under the freshly formulated Strategic Outlook for Expanding Japan-India Cooperation in Africa.

The initiative integrates existing frameworks like the India-Africa Forum Summit and Japan's Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), to form a robust supply and investment corridor. This corridor is expected to drive concrete, sustainable growth across Africa through concentrated industrial activity in India.

On broader issues, the leaders voiced significant concern over the regional security crisis in Myanmar, urging an immediate end to hostilities and advocating for inclusive dialogue. Furthermore, Japan's backing of India's hosting of the 4th United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was welcomed, aiming to reinforce principles of the Sendai Framework.

The two nations agreed to expand foreign ministry policy consultations to address key regional developments and deepen cooperation on multilateral issues, including climate change, counter-terrorism, and UN reform. As part of commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations, they committed to enhancing their strategic partnership with a focus on people-to-people ties.