Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to Tokyo on August 29 to take part in the India-Japan Economic Forum 2025. And while the Prime Minister exchanged pleasantries with his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, an old photo of him inside the cockpit of a bullet train has gone viral on social media.
The picture, dating back to 2007 when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, was shared by the digital platform 'Modi Archive'.
The thread revisited his six-day tour of Japan in April 2007. At the time, PM Modi led a delegation of about 40 senior officials and business leaders with the aim "to place Gujarat, and by extension India, on the world map as a hub of industry, infrastructure, and innovation," according to the post.
According to the thread, the then Gujarat CM's itinerary included meetings in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kobe with some of Japan's leading companies. "In the six-day tour of Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Kobe, CM @narendramodi courted corporate giants - Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Marubeni, Suzuki, Toshiba, Nippon Steel, Nissan Steel, Unido, and Tsuneshi Shipbuilding and secured MoUs between JETRO and Gujarat's Industries Department," the post stated.
At business forums in Japan, he spoke about Gujarat being the perfect destination for Japanese companies looking to invest in India. "Ports, logistics, infrastructure and human resource development were on the table ... with Gujarat pitching itself as the natural entry point for Japan into India's growth story," the post highlighted.
One of the highlights of the visit was the former Gujarat CM's meeting with then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They spoke about the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
A CD on Gujarat's Buddhist heritage and a handwoven tribal shawl were among the gifts he carried and invited Abe to Gujarat. According to the post, Abe "assured PM Modi of Japan's full support for Gujarat's stretch of the DMIC."
But the most striking memory of the visit was the image of PM Modi inside the driver's cabin of a Shinkansen train. "Perhaps the most iconic moment of the visit came when @narendramodi stepped into the cockpit of a Japanese Bullet Train. What if such high-speed rail transformed Indian connectivity? That seed of an idea in 2007 would blossom years later into the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the flagship of Indo-Japanese cooperation," the post stated.
Beyond business, PM Modi also paid homage at Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, visiting the Suzuki Miekichi Literary Monument and the Prayer of the Fountain. In Kobe, he took part in a cultural evening at The India Club, a gathering place for the Indian community since 1904.
Here's the complete thread:
Narendra Modi set foot in Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat in April 2007, leading a 40-member delegation of bureaucrats and industry leaders. He had a goal in his mind - to place Gujarat, and by extension India, on the world map as a hub of industry, infrastructure, and… pic.twitter.com/bcd9Ws0hjq
— Modi Archive (@modiarchive) August 29, 2025
The archival thread has been widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter), drawing nostalgic and appreciative responses. One user remarked, “Great thread. Thanks! Good to relive those times. At the time, I was sceptical of PM Modi, but I have enormous respect for him now. He has had a tough tenure as PM, but has lived every moment for the country.”
Great thread. Thanks! Good to relive those times. At the time I was sceptical of Modi, but have enormous respect for him now. He has had a tough tenure as PM, but has lived every moment for the country. I hope we have him as PM for another 10-15 years, we will be on solid ground…
— Rajnish (@yatodharma) August 29, 2025
Another user wrote, “Excellent thread. Thanks for sharing.”
Excellent thread. Thanks for sharing
— Smruti Sinha (@sinhasmruti) August 29, 2025
A third simply commented, “Jai ho.”
Jai ho
— रीना चौरसिया (मोदी का परिवार) (@ReenaChaurasi10) August 29, 2025
On Friday, speaking at the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, PM Modi made his pitch to Japan: "Come make in India, make for the world."
"Japan has been a key partner for India from semiconductors to start-ups. Japanese companies have invested over $40 billion in India," PM Modi said.
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