Tokyo [Japan], July 23 (ANI): India and Japan continued to deepen their partnership on maritime connectivity and regional cooperation within the Indo-Pacific area throughout a seminar titled ‘IPOI: India-Japan Partnership in Maritime Connectivity’ held on the Indian Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday (native time).
Ambassador of India to Japan, Sibi George, delivered the inaugural remarks on the occasion, which featured particular addresses by Japan’s former Defence Minister and MP H.E. Mr. Minoru Kihara, India’s Secretary (East) H.E. Mr. P. Kumaran, and H.E. Mr. Shingo Miyamoto, Director General at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The discussions centered on strengthening India-Japan cooperation on maritime linkages throughout the Indo-Pacific area.
The Indian Embassy later shared highlights of the occasion in a publish on social media platform X, ‘Glimpses of a seminar on ‘IPOI: India-Japan Partnership in Maritime Connectivity’ held on the Embassy. Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge delivered the inaugural remarks on the occasion, which additionally featured particular remarks by H.E. Mr. Minoru Kihara, Hon’ble MP & former Defence Minister, H.E. Mr. P. Kumaran, Secretary (East), and H.E. Mr. Shingo Miyamoto, DG, MOFA. Discussions centered on deepening India-Japan cooperation in enhancing maritime connectivity in Indo-Pacific.’
https://x.com/IndianEmbTokyo/status/1947647621805576605
On the sidelines of the seminar, Ambassador Sibi George held talks with prime Japanese lawmakers. He met H.E. Yasutoshi Nishimura, Member of the House of Representatives, and mentioned methods to additional strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
https://x.com/IndianEmbTokyo/status/1947620624681103720
He additionally acquired H.E. Minoru Kihara, former Defence Minister of Japan and present MP, for the same dialogue on bilateral cooperation.
https://x.com/IndianEmbTokyo/status/1947828380667416935
Last month, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, met Terada Yoshimichi, Japan’s Vice Minister for International Affairs (MLITT), in Oslo. The assembly aimed to increase maritime ties between the 2 international locations, together with Japanese funding in Indian shipyards, cooperation in port digitisation, inexperienced initiatives, R&D, seafarer employment, and upskilling.
The two sides additionally mentioned Japan’s potential collaboration in creating the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands into sensible, sustainable, and disaster-resilient islands. Sonowal stated Japan’s experience on this space may assist in deploying renewable vitality, sensible mobility, and digital infrastructure.
In April 2025, following the phobia assault in Pahalgam, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba additionally known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi to specific condolences. Prior to the decision, each PM Ishiba and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya had issued public messages of sympathy.
The India-Japan partnership has seen common high-level interactions. In October 2024, PM Modi met with Prime Minister Ishiba in Vientiane, Laos, throughout the ASEAN summit. Both leaders mentioned enhanced cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, defence, and different key areas.
India and Japan proceed to keep up strategic engagement by structured dialogues. The seventeenth Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi in August 2024, together with the third spherical of the two+2 Ministerial Meeting on the identical day, reflecting the international locations’ dedication to regional peace, maritime safety, and shared prosperity. (ANI)