New Delhi: Even as they reiterated the commitment to work on connectivity projects in north-eastern India, the foreign ministers of India and Japan on Thursday underlined that they have a common partnership in achieving a rules-based and inclusive ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’.
On Thursday evening, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and his Japanese guest Hayashi Yoshimasa chaired the India-Japan Strategic Dialogue for over two hours. The Japanese foreign minister arrived in India on Thursday at the start of a six-nation visit across South Asia and Africa.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs readout, the two ministers “emphasised the crucial role of strong and enduring partnership between India and Japan in ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that is inclusive and rules-based”.
Similarly, the Japanese foreign ministry statement noted that with the international community reaching a “historic turning point”, the two Asian countries share “share basic values and strategic interests, cooperating to achieve a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.
Both foreign ministries also said that they discussed cooperation within the Quad format, as well as UN Security Council reforms.
“They also held a candid exchange of views on regional situations, including the situation in Ukraine and East Asia,” said the Japanese readout, while there was no mention of the conflict in the Indian statement. While Japan has taken a strident position against Russia alongside the West on the Ukraine war, India has refused to directly criticise Moscow and has become one of the top buyers of Russian crude in the last one year.
On the bilateral front, the Japanese foreign minister said that he would like to advance cooperation for “the development of north-eastern India” and “to advance projects that contribute to regional connectivity”.
India had invited Japan to help in fostering development projects in the north-east, which is a sensitive region due to the proximity of China.
Besides this, they also spoke about advancing cooperation in defence and meeting the target of five trillion yen in public-private investment and loans to India over the next five years.
“Furthermore, Minister Hayashi requested cooperation to improve the investment environment and for the early establishment of a Joint Crediting Mechanism,” said the Japanese foreign ministry press note.