Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi Plays Santoor During India Visit, Video Goes Viral

New Delhi: A video of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attempting to play the santoor during her official visit to India has garnered widespread attention on social media. The clip, filmed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, was shared by PM Modi on his social media platforms with the caption: "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi trying her hand at Indian music!"

The video has received nearly 23 million views, with thousands of users reacting to the cultural moment. Many praised the interaction, while others referred to the warm relationship between the two leaders. Some comments highlighted the bond described by PM Modi during a joint press briefing, where he referred to Takaichi as his "Choti Behen" (younger sister).

During the press briefing following the India-Japan Annual Summit, PM Modi said: "I welcome Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi, my younger sister, to India for her first visit to the India-Japan Annual Summit. She is the first woman Prime Minister of Japan and also a visionary and popular leader. She is from Nara Prefecture in Japan, with which India shares Buddhist links."

Sanae Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from July 1 to July 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. During her visit, she participated in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where both leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral cooperation and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest. The santoor moment was a light-hearted cultural exchange that underscored the friendly ties between the two nations.