India and Japan held the inaugural India-Japan Artificial Intelligence Strategic Dialogue in Mumbai on April 21, 2026, opening the first formal channel between the two governments dedicated exclusively to artificial intelligence policy and industrial cooperation. The dialogue was co-chaired by Shri Amit A Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, on the Indian side, and by Mr Hanada Takahiro, Deputy Assistant Minister for Cyber Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the Japanese side. It is the direct outcome of the India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru during the 2025 bilateral summit, which positioned AI as a central pillar of the next decade of bilateral cooperation. Both delegations engaged in substantive discussions on strategic cooperation across the entire AI stack — covering co-creation, policy convergence, the development of trustworthy AI solutions in industrial domains, talent mobility, joint research, and shared positions in multilateral AI governance forums. The two sides explored avenues to combine India's talent pool and digital public infrastructure with Japan's advanced industrial expertise and hardware precision. They also discussed expanding exchanges and collaborative projects under existing science-and-technology agreements. The next round of the dialogue will be held in Japan on mutually convenient dates.
First India-Japan AI Strategic Dialogue Held in Mumbai on April 21, 2026; Co-Chaired by Amit A Shukla and Hanada Takahiro to Operationalise the 2025 India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative
India and Japan held their first AI Strategic Dialogue in Mumbai on April 21, 2026, co-chaired by MEA Joint Secretary Amit A Shukla and Japan's Deputy Assistant Minister Hanada Takahiro. The dialogue operationalises the 2025 India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative across co-creation, policy convergence, talent mobility and multilateral AI governance.
Key facts
- India and Japan held the first India-Japan AI Strategic Dialogue in Mumbai on April 21, 2026.
- It was co-chaired by Shri Amit A Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, MEA on the Indian side and by Mr Hanada Takahiro, Deputy Assistant Minister for Cyber Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on the Japanese side.
- The dialogue is the direct outcome of the India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative announced by PM Narendra Modi and former PM Fumio Kishida during the 2025 bilateral summit.
- It is the first formal channel between the two governments dedicated exclusively to AI policy and industrial cooperation, positioning AI as a central pillar of bilateral ties for the next decade.
- Both sides discussed strategic cooperation across the entire AI stack — co-creation, policy convergence, trustworthy AI solutions in industrial domains, talent mobility and joint research.
- They explored shared positions in multilateral AI governance and combining India's talent pool and digital public infrastructure with Japan's advanced industrial expertise and hardware precision.
- The next round of the dialogue will be held in Japan on mutually convenient dates.
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With reference to the first India-Japan AI Strategic Dialogue held on April 21, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The dialogue was hosted at New Delhi and chaired by the Prime Ministers of both countries. 2. It is the direct outcome of the India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative announced by PM Modi and PM Ishiba during the 2025 bilateral summit. 3. The Indian side was led by the Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The dialogue was held in Mumbai (not New Delhi) and was co-chaired by senior officials — Joint Secretary Amit A Shukla on the Indian side and Deputy Assistant Minister Hanada Takahiro on the Japanese side, not by the Prime Ministers, so Statement 1 is wrong. Statements 2 and 3 correctly describe its origin as the 2025 India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative and the Indian co-chair's designation.
Source: Ministry of External Affairs
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the first India-Japan AI Strategic Dialogue held?
The first India-Japan Artificial Intelligence Strategic Dialogue was held in Mumbai on April 21, 2026. It was the inaugural session of a new bilateral track devoted exclusively to AI policy and industrial cooperation between the two governments.
Who co-chaired the dialogue from each side?
On the Indian side it was co-chaired by Shri Amit A Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs. On the Japanese side it was co-chaired by Mr Hanada Takahiro, Deputy Assistant Minister for Cyber Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
What is the parent initiative under which this dialogue is organised?
The dialogue is the direct outcome of the India-Japan AI Cooperation Initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru during the 2025 bilateral summit. The initiative positions AI as a central pillar of bilateral cooperation for the next decade.
What were the focus areas of the inaugural session?
Both sides discussed strategic cooperation across the entire AI stack — covering co-creation, policy convergence, the development of trustworthy AI solutions in industrial domains, talent mobility, joint research, and shared positions in multilateral AI governance forums. They also explored combining India's talent pool and digital public infrastructure with Japan's industrial expertise and hardware precision.
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