India, Japan cooperation today set against larger context of free: Jaishankar
New Delhi, Aug 20 :
India is keen to become a developed country by 2047 and partnership with Japan will play an important role in the completion of this vision in areas such as defence technology and industry, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
He was speaking during the third round of India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting held here.
Rajnath Singh said the bilateral ties between India and Japan have gained strength in all areas.
“Bilateral relations between the two nations have increased in all areas. Defence has emerged as an important pillar in these relations. We have decided to make India a developed and transformed nation by 2047, on the completion of 100 years of India’s independence,” he said.
“Building domestic defence capabilities is a very important part of this vision. In the field of defence technology and industry, partnership with Japan will play an important role in the completion of this vision of India,” he added.
Defence Minister of Japan Minoru Kihara and the country’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa took part in the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting.
Apart from Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took part in the meeting.
Defence has emerged
Jaishankar said that cooperation between India and Japan is today set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
“For India, this is a natural extrapolation from our Act East policy. Indeed, the proportion of our activities and interests East of India has been steadily growing,” he said.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Japan’s Defence and Foreign Ministers.
PM Modi “reaffirmed” the role of India-Japan partnership in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Delighted to meet Japanese Foreign Minister @Kamikawa_Yoko and Defense Minister @kihara_minoru ahead of the 3rd India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting. Took stock of the progress made in India-Japan defence and security ties. Reaffirmed the role India-Japan partnership plays in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.
The earlier two rounds of India-Japan 2+2 ministerial meetings were held in 2019 in New Delhi and in 2022 in Tokyo.
Meanwhile,
Cooperation between India and Japan is today set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday while noting that the two countries have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours, comprehend each other’s objectives and work with other nations of shared comfort.
In his opening remarks at the third round of the India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting held here, Jaishankar also spoke of the need of reliable partners in a more volatile and unpredictable world.
He said the bilateral relationship has assumed the form of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in the last decade.
“The logic of this evolution is our expanding interests and growing activities. As we both step forward into a more volatile and unpredictable world, there is a need for reliable partners with whom there are substantial convergences.”
“As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours, comprehend each other’s objectives, strengthen each other’s positions and work with other nations of shared comfort. Our Strategic Partnership will continue to grow as we embrace mutuality and display sensitivity,” he added.
Jaishankar said that the bilateral relationship also has to factor in “changes in our own capabilities and calculations”.
“Our cooperation is today set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. For India, this is a natural extrapolation from our Act East policy. Indeed, the proportion of our activities and interests East of India has been steadily growing,” he said.
“We mark the 10th anniversary of our Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The 2+2 must particularly focus on the steps ahead. It is two years since we last met in Tokyo. There have been many developments of consequence in the world. Our own relationship also has to factor in changes in our own capabilities and calculations,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met his Japanese counterpart Kamikawa Yoko and noted the progress charted by India-Japan bilateral ties.
“Good to meet with FM @Kamikawa_Yoko of Japan. Continued our conversations from Tokyo last month. Noted the progress being charted by our bilateral ties. Will build on these exchanges further during the India-Japan 2+2 meeting later today,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
Japan’s Defence and Foreign Ministers had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
PM Modi reaffirmed the role of India-Japan partnership in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Delighted to meet Japanese Foreign Minister @Kamikawa_Yoko and Defense Minister @kihara_minoru ahead of the 3rd India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting. Took stock of the progress made in India-Japan defence and security ties. Reaffirmed the role India-Japan partnership plays in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
The earlier two rounds of India-Japan 2+2 ministerial meetings were held in 2019 in New Delhi and in 2022 in Tokyo.
