PM Modi calls Japan PM his younger sister, she responds with a smile
Diplomatic summits are usually defined by agreements, strategic partnerships and carefully worded statements. But at the India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, it
Diplomatic summits are usually defined by agreements, strategic partnerships and carefully worded statements. But at the India-Japan Annual Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, it was a warm exchange between the two leaders that stole the spotlight. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, he introduced her not just as the leader of one of India's closest strategic partners, but as his "younger sister", a remark that drew smiles and set the tone for an otherwise high-stakes summit. #WATCH | Delhi: During press statement with Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Excellency and my younger sister, Prime Minister Takaichi, delegates from both nations, and members of the media—Namaskar. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Prime pic.twitter.com/O78kLVnptK— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2026 Read Full Story “I welcome Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi, my younger sister, to India for her first visit for the India-Japan Annual Summit.
She is the first woman Prime Minister of Japan and a visionary and popular leader," PM Modi said. Takaichi embraced the sentiment with equal warmth. Thanking PM Modi for calling her his "beautiful younger sister", she said the bond reflected the understanding the two leaders had reached during their private discussions. #WATCH | Delhi: During press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi says, "You called me a beautiful younger sister, Prime Minister Modi but at, the small meeting before the big meeting, we we confirmed that we are on the same page and develop pic.twitter.com/VsIG9QeGil— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2026 "Before the larger meeting, we confirmed that we are on the same page and would nurture this relationship as brother and sister," she said, adding that Japan and India should build on their respective strengths to become stronger and more prosperous together.
Welcoming Takaichi on her maiden visit to India as Japan's prime minister, Modi described it as the beginning of a "new chapter" in bilateral ties. He hailed her as Japan's first woman prime minister and said the two countries shared a common vision for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. "Our shared priorities are a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Our technology partnership has become an important pillar of our relationship," PM Modi said, underlining the growing importance of collaboration in emerging technologies. Beyond the personal camaraderie, the summit produced substantial outcomes. India and Japan signed their first-ever defence co-development agreement and unveiled a series of initiatives to deepen their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The two leaders also held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior officials from both countries.
The BriefWire