India and Japan to Mark 75 Years of Diplomatic Ties with Sports, Culture, and Business Events in 2027
India and Japan will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027 with a series of events spanning sports, culture, and business, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on July 2, 2026. The year-long programme, titled 'India-Japan Year of Shared Horizons', will be organised in cooperation with stakeholders from both countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi discussed the anniversary plans during Ms. Takaichi's visit to India, which concluded on July 3. The MEA stated that both sides will collaborate on commemorative programmes throughout the year, with a focus on youth participation.
The week beginning April 28, 2027, will be designated as 'India-Japan Week' to mark the actual date of the establishment of diplomatic ties. India and Japan signed a separate peace treaty on April 28, 1952, after India opted out of the San Francisco Conference, formally beginning bilateral relations.
Over the decades, the relationship has evolved: it was elevated to a Global Partnership in 2000, a Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006, and a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. The ties now encompass political, defence, economic, scientific, educational, and cultural cooperation.
Among the planned initiatives, a logo and theme competition will invite citizens of both countries to envision the future of the partnership. The MEA also announced 'IMAGE-75', aimed at supporting people-to-people exchanges in manga, anime, gaming, and immersive creative technologies, leveraging the popularity of Japanese pop culture among Indian youth and India's growing role in animation and gaming.
'RASA-75' will be a year-long arts and culture journey, featuring performing, visual, and traditional arts, as well as collaborations between cultural institutions and young creators. A Buddhist delegation from Japan will visit important Buddhist sites in India to highlight civilisational and spiritual ties and promote Buddhist tourism.
In sports, 'SPORT-75' will promote exchanges and cooperation, noting India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A friendly cricket match between India and Japan will be held during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 as a curtain-raiser. Additionally, 'Cricket Kizuna-75' will send two Indian coaches to Japan for a week-long cricket bootcamp for Japanese players.
Business events will include a platform to connect Indian business clusters with Japanese regional banks. The MEA said the celebrations aim to deepen the comprehensive partnership between the two nations.
