India on Tuesday stated that it is in touch with the US on the penalty tariffs coming into place from August 27 and noted that “25 per cent secondary sanctions were expected as they had been announced on July 6.”.
Addressing the media ahead of the PM’s Japan trip, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said “we are in touch with the US” on the penalty tariffs going into place on August 27 and pointed out that “25 per cent secondary sanctions were expected as they had been announced on July 6”. The US Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday notified India about the plans to increase tariffs to 50 per cent on Indian goods.
Modi’s two-day visit to Japan beginning Friday (August 29, 2025) will reaffirm the two nations’ commitment to peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, according to Misri. “We look forward to working with all Quad partners to take our cooperation forward. I’m sure when the two prime ministers meet, the Quad will be a subject that will be discussed.”
Indo-Japan defence co-op
He also referred to growing the India-Japan defence industry partnership. The two countries are already working on co-developing the Unified Complex Radio Antenna, the UNICORN project, which is a common radar mast for use by Indian Navy platforms. A memorandum of implementation for this particular project was signed in November 2024. The Indian Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force are also exploring possible cooperation in the area of ship maintenance in India. “And there are discussions going on … on a number of other issues between the designated agencies of the two sides, DRDO in India and ATLA in Japan,” Misri said.
Visit outside Tokyo
One of the features of the annual summit between India and Japan is an engagement between the two leaders outside the capital and on this occasion as well the programme includes a visit outside Tokyo, according to Misri.
The programme also includes interactions of the PM with several other political leaders from Japan as also with friends of India. In Japan, the PM will also participate in a business leaders’ forum with captains of Japanese and Indian industry.
