India-Japan partnership key to shaping Asian century, says PM Modi in Tokyo

India and Japan will together shape the Asian century for stability, growth and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday as he began a two-day crucial visit to the east Asian nation.

In an address at a business forum, Modi said Japan's excellence and India's scale can create a perfect partnership and mutual growth.

The prime minister landed in Tokyo this morning on a two-day visit that comes amid a strain in New Delhi's relations with Washington over President Donald Trump's policies on trade and tariffs.

Showcasing India as an attractive investment destination, Modi said the country has political and economic stability as well as transparency and predictability in policy decisions.

In India, capital does not just grow, it multiplies, he said.

"Today, India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world and very soon, it is going to become the third largest global economy," he said at the India-Japan Economic Forum.

Modi said India has taken bold and ambitious initiatives in a range of key areas, including artificial intelligence, semiconductor, quantum computing, biotech and space.

Technology of Japan and talent of India can together lead the technology revolution of this century, he said.

Modi also said that India is the "springboard" for Japanese business to the Global South.

India and Japan can replicate successful auto sector partnership in areas of robotics, semiconductors, ship-building, and nuclear energy, he noted.

In India's development journey, Japan has always been an important partner, Modi said.

From Metro to manufacturing, from semiconductors to start-ups, India-Japan partnership in every sector became a symbol of mutual trust, he said.

India and Japan can make a significant contribution to the development of the Global South, especially in Africa, he added.