New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took to Instagram to share a reel of Prime Minister Takaichi- Japan’s first woman premier and a self-confessed “metalhead” attempting her hand at the Santoor, a traditional Indian percussion instrument.
“Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi trying her hand at Indian music!,” PM Modi captioned the reel.
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Takaichi, 65, joined PM Modi for a cultural luncheon after the day’s engagements that included bilateral and delegation-level talks as well as the 16th India-Japan annual summit and the India-Japan economic forum.
She also took to her Instagram account to post several pictures of herself with PM Modi during her New Delhi visit.
The Japanese PM, a lifelong fan of British heavy metal legends like Deep Purple and Iron Maiden, famously played drums in a metal band during her university years.
Even today, the “Iron Lady of Japan” reportedly de-stresses by pounding out fierce rhythms on an electronic drum kit in her residence.
In the reel posted by PM Modi, the Japanese leader happily played a few notes while PM Modi looked on with a smile.
The audience applauded, creating a memorable moment of the India-Japan summit.
“A moment from the luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Modi. At the luncheon, there was entertainment with performances on traditional instruments. Toward the end, Prime Minister Takaichi, after expressing thanks to all the performers, was invited by one of the musicians to try playing the traditional instrument santu, and…, Prime Minister Modi also smiled and clapped,” the Press Secretary who accompanied Takaichi posted on his X social media account.
Earlier in the day, while addressing the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, PM Modi couldn’t resist a personal shout-out to Takaichi’s unconventional past.
“I have been told that PM Takaichi is fond of motorbikes,” PM Modi said with a smile. “We are delighted that Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda bikes are exported across the globe from India. When Japanese expertise combines with India’s speed and scale, the entire world benefits,” he said.
Japanese media outlets had reported about her love for riding Kawasaki’s “Z400GP” motorcycles and that she had played the drums in a heavy metal band during college. Her love for hard rock was influenced by a music college student who taught her piano in elementary school. She also travelled solo across Japan, as per the outlets.
The duo virtually inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s fourth manufacturing facility in Kharkhoda, Haryana.
During the summit, PM Modi referred to Takaichi as his “younger sister,” (Choti Behan) while Takaichi reciprocated, stating they had agreed to take the bilateral relationship forward “as brother and sister.”
“Today, we held a meeting with Prime Minister Modi,” Takaichi posted on her social media.
“During the meeting, we exchanged views on the regional situation, particularly regarding the Indo-Pacific.”
The Japanese PM stated that the two leaders agreed to deepen strategic cooperation to achieve shared goal of promoting a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” and advancing the “MahASAGAR” (Maritime Growth for All) agenda championed by Prime Minister Modi.
“In the realm of security, we agreed to further strengthen our cooperation based on the “Joint Security Cooperation” framework revised last year,” she said.
“Regarding economic security, we issued a joint statement committing to enhanced collaboration between the public and private sectors,” Takaichi stated.
“In the field of energy security, we established a partnership to strengthen India’s oil reserve system under the “Power Asia” initiative and to launch the “Collaborative Biogas for Growth” initiative as part of India’s energy transition,” the Japanese PM stated
India is a crucial partner in the Indo-Pacific, playing a vital role in realizing the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), she said.
“Looking ahead to the 75th anniversary of Japan-India relations, we will continue to contribute to the prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and the international community as a whole,” the Japanese PM stated.
Takaichi is on her first visit to India since becoming PM, and has held talks with PM Modi to boost bilateral ties. Both leaders addressed a joint press statement after the bilateral talks
The India-Japan investment partnership agreements include fresh Japanese investments in artificial intelligence, defence, energy and next-generation mobility, and a renewed target of attracting 10 trillion JPY (USD 62 billion) in Japanese investment over the next decade.
The two leaders also expanded their defence cooperation by signing an agreement for their first joint defence co-development project.
“We will now jointly develop defence technologies that strengthen regional peace, maritime security and the rules-based order,” PM Modi said. (ANI)
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