China Criticizes India-Japan Defense and Economic Pacts

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India signed 12 cooperation agreements in New Delhi on July 2, 2026, to strengthen ties across defense, technology, and the economy. The agreements establish an economic partnership framework, a defense pact for the co-development of military hardware, and initiatives to enhance supply chain resilience for semiconductors, quantum technologies, and critical minerals. Both leaders expressed concern over unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas.

On July 3, the Government of China responded to these initiatives. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that bilateral cooperation should not target third parties or be used to create exclusive groupings that stoke regional confrontation. These tensions follow a period of deteriorating China-Japan relations, including China's decision to tighten rare earth mineral exports to India, Japan, and the United States after Takaichi suggested in 2025 that Japan could respond if China attacked Taiwan.

Further compounding the friction, China recently added 20 Japanese entities to an export blacklist, which Japan described as unacceptable. Additionally, China defended its new ethnic unity law against international criticism, accusing foreign governments of interfering in its internal affairs. India and Japan are now exploring expanding their strategic cooperation to include South Korea and Taiwan to establish a defensive and economic arc in Asia.