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PM Modi dials Japan’s Fumio Kishida, promises to work for free and open Indo-Pacific
Modi and Kishida expressed satisfaction at progress in the bilateral special strategic and global partnership and agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as high-technology and futuristic sectors. Modi invited Japanese companies to benefit from India’s economic reforms through greater investment, the external affairs ministry said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida agreed on Friday to boost cooperation in a range of areas, including political and security issues, and to work for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The matters figured when Modi telephoned Kishida to congratulate him on assuming charge as the prime minister of Japan. Kishida was elected to the post after his predecessor Yoshihide Suga quit last month following criticism of his handling of the Covid-19 crisis.
Modi and Kishida expressed satisfaction at progress in the bilateral special strategic and global partnership and agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as high-technology and futuristic sectors. Modi invited Japanese companies to benefit from India’s economic reforms through greater investment, the external affairs ministry said.
The leaders discussed the “increasing alignment of perspectives and robust cooperation between India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific region”, and reviewed cooperation under the Quad framework, the ministry said.
A readout from the Japanese side said the two leaders, while looking ahead to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, decided to elevate the bilateral partnership to greater heights by promoting cooperation in political and security issues, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
Both leaders confirmed that the two sides will coordinate to hold the next round of 2+2 foreign and defence ministers’ meeting at an early date, and promote cooperation in green technology, digital, healthcare, connectivity and personnel exchanges under the “Specified Skilled Worker” programme, the readout said.
Modi and Kishida also agreed to advance the construction of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed Rail, a Japan-India flagship project, the readout added.
The two leaders said they will work for a free and open Indo-Pacific through bilateral and quadrilateral cooperation involving Australia and the US.
“In this connection, both leaders shared their strong opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force and to economic coercion, while confirming that the two countries would deepen cooperation on economic security such as through resilience of supply chains,” the Japanese readout said.
North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile issues also figured in the 25-minute phone conversation and Kishida requested “understanding and support towards the early resolution of the abductions” of Japanese citizens by North Korea.
Modi invited Kishida to visit India at his earliest convenience for a bilateral summit.
The two sides have not been able to hold their annual summit since 2019 because of scheduling issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.
