PM Modi Shares Video of Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Playing Santoor, Highlights Growing India-Japan Partnership

New Delhi, July 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday shared a heartwarming video of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi trying her hand at the traditional Indian musical instrument santoor, offering a glimpse into the cultural warmth that accompanied the high-level diplomatic engagements between India and Japan.

Posting the video on Instagram, Prime Minister Modi captioned it: “Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi tries her hand at Indian music!” The short clip, which quickly drew attention on social media, showed Takaichi smiling as she gently played a few notes on the santoor while PM Modi looked on with appreciation. The performance was greeted with applause from those present, turning the cultural interaction into one of the most memorable moments of the India-Japan Summit.

The cultural performance took place during a state banquet hosted by Prime Minister Modi following a day of extensive bilateral engagements. Takaichi, Japan’s first woman Prime Minister, was in India on a three-day official visit from July 1 to 3 at the invitation of PM Modi.

The two leaders participated in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, held delegation-level talks, attended the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, and reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties ranging from trade and investment to defence, technology, energy and regional security.

A press secretary accompanying the Japanese Prime Minister also shared details of the musical moment on social media.

“During the banquet hosted by Prime Minister Modi, guests were entertained with performances featuring traditional Indian musical instruments. At the end of the programme, after Prime Minister Takaichi thanked the artists, she was invited by one of the musicians to try playing the santoor herself. Prime Minister Modi smiled and applauded as she played,” the official wrote.

The cultural exchange reflected the deepening people-to-people ties between India and Japan, which have complemented their expanding strategic and economic partnership.

Earlier in the day, while addressing the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, Prime Minister Modi referred to Takaichi’s unconventional hobbies and interests, adding a personal touch to his speech.

“I have been told that Prime Minister Takaichi is very fond of motorcycles. We are happy that Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda motorcycles manufactured in India are now being exported to markets across the world. When Japanese expertise combines with India’s speed and large-scale manufacturing capability, the entire world benefits,” PM Modi remarked.

Takaichi’s personal interests have often attracted public attention in Japan. The 65-year-old leader is a lifelong fan of British heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple and Iron Maiden, and proudly describes herself as a “metalhead.”

Japanese media reports say that she played drums in a heavy metal band during her university days. Even today, she is known to unwind by playing an electronic drum kit at her residence. Her passion for hard rock reportedly began after she was introduced to the genre by a music student who taught her piano during her childhood.

She is also known for her love of motorcycles and has spoken in the past about riding a Kawasaki Z400GP during her college years.

Alongside the summit meetings, the two Prime Ministers jointly inaugurated, through video conferencing, Maruti Suzuki India’s fourth vehicle manufacturing plant at Kharkhoda in Haryana, further underlining the strength of industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The leaders also toured an exhibition showcasing India-Japan economic and technological collaboration, highlighting innovations in manufacturing, digital technologies, green energy and infrastructure.

During the summit, Prime Minister Modi affectionately referred to Takaichi as his “younger sister,” a gesture that reflected the warmth in the relationship between the two leaders. Takaichi echoed the sentiment, saying they had agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties “like brother and sister.”

Sharing her thoughts after the meeting, Takaichi said the two leaders exchanged views on regional developments, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).

She said both countries agreed to deepen strategic cooperation to advance FOIP and support Prime Minister Modi’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

“In the field of security, we have agreed to further strengthen cooperation based on the revised Joint Security Cooperation framework concluded last year,” she said.

On economic security, Takaichi noted that India and Japan had issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to expanding public-private partnerships and enhancing collaboration across strategic sectors.

She also highlighted new initiatives in energy security, including strengthening India’s petroleum storage system under Japan’s Power Asia Initiative and launching the Japan-India Compressed Biogas (CBG) Initiative to support India’s clean energy transition.

According to Takaichi, India remains an indispensable partner in realising the vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Looking ahead to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, she said both countries would continue working together to promote prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global stability.

The summit also produced several major outcomes. India and Japan announced expanded investment partnerships covering artificial intelligence, defence, energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility. The two sides set an ambitious target of attracting 10 trillion Japanese yen (approximately $62 billion) in Japanese investments into India over the next decade.

The leaders also signed an agreement for their first joint defence co-development project, marking a significant milestone in bilateral security cooperation.

“Together, we will now develop defence technologies that will strengthen regional peace, maritime security and a rules-based international order,” Prime Minister Modi said.

The combination of strategic agreements, economic initiatives and cultural exchanges during Takaichi’s visit underscored the growing depth of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, reflecting not only shared geopolitical interests but also a strong foundation of mutual trust, friendship and people-to-people connections.