New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japan counterpart Fumio Kishida on Monday exchanged views on defence tools and know-how cooperation, commerce, well being, digital partnership and in addition had a fruitful dialogue on significance of dependable provide chains in semiconductor and different essential applied sciences.
The two leaders had “excellent talks” throughout Kishida’s go to to New Delhi with PM Modi stating that strengthening bilateral partnership just isn’t solely necessary for each our nations, it additionally promotes peace, prosperity and stability within the Indo-Pacific area.
He mentioned that the 2 nations had final 12 months set a goal of Japanese funding of 5 trillion yen (Rs3,20,000 crore) in India within the subsequent 5 years and it’s a matter of satisfaction that there was good progress on this path.
PM Kishida’s go to assumes significance as India is chairing the G20 and Japan is chairing the G7.
Following talks between the 2 leaders, there was an change of notes between the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan of tranche-IV JICA ODA Loan of JPY 300 billion for Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR).
The two nations additionally signed a Memorandum of Cooperation within the area of Japanese Language Education in India.
Personal rapport between the 2 leaders was seen throughout their go to to Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. In a particular gesture, PM Modi gifted a sapling of Bal Bodhi tree to PM Kishida.
PM Modi shared a video on Facebook which confirmed Kishida consuming gol gappas. He shared the video alongside the caption: “My friend Japan PM Fumio Kishida enjoyed gol-gappas.”During his hectic schedule in Delhi, PM Kishida delivered the forty first Sapru House Lecture on “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” wherein he termed India as in Indispensable accomplice.
Briefing concerning the talks between PM Modi and the Japan PM, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra mentioned the 2 leaders spoke about how India, Japan and different like-minded nations work collectively to handle the challenges, notably within the wider-expanse of Indo-Pacific.
Asked if Chinese aggressiveness was mentioned by two leaders, Kwatra mentioned the 2 leaders spoke concerning the ongoing developments within the area and in addition globally.
“Naturally, as part of those discussions, they spoke about the challenges that we face in the region. How India and Japan and other like-minded countries can work together to address those challenges and not just focus on challenges, but also focus on cooperation, particularly in the wider-expanse of Indo-Pacific.””How do you take the other countries of the Indo-Pacific together? That is cut across several domains. So, for example, how do you partner within the Indo-Pacific to build resilient and trustworthy supply chains, for example? How do you come together to mitigate some of the challenges that the development template of many of these countries within the Pacific face in terms of debt burdens etc? So all that formed part of a larger, a broad platform of discussion so far in the region, sub-regionspecifically, and the larger field of Indo-Pacific is concerned,” he added.
Kwatra mentioned that there was no dialogue concerning the enlargement of Quad between PM Modi and Kishida.
“All the Quad members are very clear in their mind that Quad needs to undergo a very-very appropriate phase of consolidation before we look to anything other than Quad.” Quad contains Australia, India, Japan and the United States.
Kwatra mentioned PM Kishida had prolonged an invite to PM Modi for attending the G7 Leaders’ Summit to be held in Hiroshima in May and it has been accepted.
In the joint press assembly after talks with PM Kishida, Prime Minister Modi mentioned India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership relies on shared democratic values, and respect for the rule of regulation within the worldwide enviornment.
“Strengthening this partnership is not only important for both our countries, it also promotes peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. In our conversation today, we have reviewed the progress made in our bilateral relations. We exchanged views on Defence Equipment and Technology collaboration, Trade, Health, and Digital partnership. We also had a fruitful discussion on the importance of reliable supply chains in semiconductor and other critical technologies,” he mentioned.
PM Modi mentioned he and PM Kishida ave met a number of instances within the final one 12 months.
“And each time, I have felt his positivity and commitment towards India-Japan relations. And therefore, his visit today will be very useful to maintain the momentum of our cooperation,” he mentioned.
PM Modi mentioned he outlined India’s priorities throughout its presidency of G20″Our meeting today is special for another reason as well. This year India is chairing the G20, and Japan is chairing the G7. And therefore, this is the perfect opportunity to work together on our respective priorities and interests,” he mentioned.
“Today, I explained in detail to Prime Minister Kishida about the priorities of India’s G20 Presidency. Giving voice to the priorities of Global South is an important pillar of our G20 Presidency. We have taken this initiative because we are a culture that believes in “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, and in taking everyone along,” he added.
The Prime Minister mentioned that India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership was arrange in 2019.
“Under this, we’re growing the competitiveness of Indian trade in areas equivalent to logistics, meals processing, MSME, textiles, equipment and metal. Today we additionally expressed happiness over the activeness of this partnership. We are additionally progressing quick on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail. I’m additionally blissful that we’re celebrating 2023 because the Year of the Tourism Exchange. And for this we have now chosen the theme ‘Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji’.
PM Modi mentioned he may have the chance to welcome Prime Minister Kishida to India once more for the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
“May this series of our talks and contacts continue like this, and may India-Japan relations continue to touch new heights,” he mentioned.
In his lecture at Sapru House, PM Kishida known as India an “indispensable partner” and mentioned that Japan will increase cooperation for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
He mentioned it’s mportant to steer the worldwide neighborhood within the path of cooperation fairly than confrontation and division.
“India is an indispensable partner and I believe India and Japan are in an extremely unique position in the current International relations and further in the history of the world. India is the largest democracy in the world. I have always viewed with great respect the way such a huge and diverse country as India has developed a democracy,” he mentioned whereas delivering the forty first Sapru House Lecture.
He recalled that former Japan PM Shinzo Abe in 2016 delivered a imaginative and prescient known as Free and Open Pacific (FOIP).
“Japan will expand cooperation for FOIP. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine oblige us to face the most fundamental challenge defending peace,” Fumio Kishida mentioned.
Kishida pressured that the imaginative and prescient will likely be nurtured by the voices of various nations may be characterised as a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. He known as it necessary to steer the worldwide neighborhood within the path of cooperation fairly than confrontation and division.
“I believe that this vision nurtured by the voices of different countries which can be characterised as our Free and Open Indo-Pacific. It’s becoming more important than ever towards the goal of leading the International community in the direction of cooperation rather than division and confrontation,” Kishida mentioned.
Fumio Kishida mentioned that Japan will collaborate intently with India in contributing to stability within the South Asian area. He emphasised that Japan will promote the Bay of Bengal – North East India industrial worth idea in cooperation with India and Bangladesh. He said that Japan is taking a look at financial partnership with Bangladesh.
“Japan will collaborate closely with India in contributing to stability in the South Asian region… Northeast India which is surrounded by land still has unexploited economic potential. We will promote Bay of Bengal- North East India Industrial value chain concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh to foster the growth of the entire region,” Kishida mentioned.
“India’s neighbour Bangladesh will soon graduate from being classified as a least developed country. We have already launched the joint study group on the possibility of an economic partnership agreement with Bangladesh,” he added.
PM Kishida mentioned that the worldwide neighborhood has entered an period wherein cooperation and division are “intricately intertwined.” He condemned the Russian offensive in opposition to Ukraine. He mentioned that PM Narendra Modi additionally advised Russian President Putin that “today’s era is not of war.””In the International community, a big balance of power change is occurring, shifting dramatically. The International community has entered an era in which cooperation and division are intricately intertwined,” Kishida mentioned.
“I reiterate that Japan strongly condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and will never recognize it. PM Modi too expressed to President Putin that today’s era is not of war. Japan opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo by force anywhere in the world,” he mentioned.
“This year as Japan hosts the G7 presidency and India hosts the G20 presidency, it’s my hope that by working together with ASEAN and many other countries, we will bring peace and prosperity to the international community which faces a time of challenges and the vision for achieving it is FOIP which is based on rule of law,” he added.
PM Kishida arrived in Delhi on Monday morning for a two-day go to.
PM Modi mentioned in a tweet later that the 2 leaders mentioned methods to additional peace, stability and prosperity within the Indo-Pacific.
“Held excellent talks with PM @kishida 230. We discussed boosting India-Japan ties in sectors like defence, healthcare, technology, and other issues. We also discussed ways to increase competitiveness in logistics, food processing, MSME, textiles and more,” he mentioned.
“Spoke to PM @kishida230 on India’s G20 Presidency and how our presidency will give voice to the views of the Global South. We also discussed ways to further peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” he added. (ANI)