The two leaders, both right-wing nationalists elected on a pledge to revive their countries' economies, also share an interest in shoring up regional alliances to counter an increasingly assertive China.
Before leaving India, the 63-year-old premier said he was confident that his five-day visit would "write a new chapter" in bilateral relations with Japan in areas including defence, nuclear energy and infrastructure.
"We will explore how Japan can associate itself productively with my vision of inclusive development in India, including the transformation of India's manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and social sectors," he said in a statement.
It is Modi's first bilateral visit outside South Asia since taking office, which he says signals "the high priority that Japan receives in our foreign and economic policies."
Modi and Abe will meet privately in the historic city of Kyoto on Saturday before holding official talks in Tokyo.
Modi was initially scheduled to travel to Tokyo in early July, but altered his plans to be in India for his new government's first budget session since its landslide election victory in May.
Both men are seen as strong leaders who have championed deregulation to kickstart their countries' flagging economies.
Modi added that he would try to cultivate deeper defence ties with Abe at a time when both nations are embroiled in territorial disputes with China.
On Monday, he will meet Japan's Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera as the two countries seek to counter China's increasing regional assertiveness.
A Japanese official who asked not to be named said India had expressed interest in buying amphibious search-and-rescue planes for its defence forces.
Japan lifted its self-imposed ban on military exports earlier this year, clearing the way for such a deal.
The Indian foreign ministry said Modi's focus would also be on boosting Indian exports -- he is reportedly travelling with a large business delegation -- and seek Japanese support in infrastructural developments.
This could include Japanese investment in new high-speed train networks after the new government said the country's dilapidated railways needed an "immediate course correction".
India's new government has changed limits on foreign direct investment in defence and did away with them altogether for the railway industry.
Japan is famous for its "Shinkansen" bullet train system, but rival China has had more success exporting its technology at lower prices.
Japan is India's fourth-largest investor, with Japanese firms involved in infrastructure projects including the Delhi Metro, while Japanese automakers have long been churning out cars in India.
The two leaders are also expected to restart negotiations on nuclear energy, which have been suspended since Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, to help India's crippling power shortages.
Trade between India and Japan has steadily increased over the last decade, and the two countries signed a free trade pact in 2011.
COMMENTS (9)
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@Nishant: The syndicated story is from AFP (Agence France-Presse) a Paris based news agency like India's PTI.
Trade & Commerce are Modi's bailiwick. He is a masterful negotiator from what I have heard/known.. He can win & keep trust because in business matters he has the old fashioned pragmatic Gujarati ethic-it's economical to keep one's word & very costly to break it! He is also a builder of long term business relations. Japanese will like him for that. India will see the best of Modi in this area of his job. So what if it's the only area....
Its always interesting to read news about India, and how the Pakistan media uses such terms of placing things in negative light
Dilapidated railways, crippled power supply
Correct me if I am wrong, but in current situation, if you are calling India's railways as Dilapidated, what shall that call Pakistan railway, dead, extinct or bankrupt
And if the current power supply in India is crippled, against the amount of load shedding in Pakistan, what shall you call that... Again dead or extinct?
Modi is working extremely hard to put India on the path of a powerful nation. He has already brought poor Indians into the banking system of India. Before republic day in January 2015 every Indian house hold will be connected with the banking system with debit card and insurance. He knows how to get work even out of duffers. His minsters are working overtime and so is Indian bureaucracy. India and Japan together make a formidable force and can balance any super power within next 10 years. Really sad that when so much is happening next door, Pakistan is busy with all the negativities. This is the best time for South Asia and Pakistan also should have joined the team. After many years there is feel good factor in India and everything is showing positivity.
good sign...
can't agree with you more
India and Japan are members of an mutual admiration club. Besides being thriving Democracies, they believe in the principles of equality, liberty and fraternity. A free press, an independent Judiciary and rule of Law are the pillars that support their democracy. Due to its difficult relations with China, Japan is looking for a friendly country to shift its manufacturing bases and invest surplus Capital and India is their first choice. PM Abe and PM Modi are members of a mutual admiration club and hope to use the positive chemistry to push the boundaries of cooperation in every conceivable field. As allies alongside US and Australia they are well placed to challenge Chinese hegemony and aggressive behavior not just in the South China Sea but across Asia. The Japanese / Indian partnership could be a win-win proposition for both countries.
Hope he signs a pact to bring bullet trains to India.
good luck. bullet train deal is almost final.