'Japan a cornerstone for India's Act East Policy', PM Modi tells Foreign Affairs Minister Motegi
Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Minister of Defence Taro Kono, who are paying a visit to India to attend the inaugural meeting of India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2), called on PM Narendra Modi on Saturday. Prime Minister Modi mentioned that both he and PM of Japan Shinzō Abe attach great importance to strengthening the bilateral partnership between the two countries. He conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming Prime Minister Abe to India for India-Japan Annual Summit next month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "India's relationship with Japan is a key component of its vision for peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Modi made the remarks at a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono.
The two Japanese ministers are here to attend the first edition of Indo-Japan defense and foreign ministerial dialogue. In the meeting, the prime minister stressed the importance of all-round development in India-Japan relations for the benefit of people of the two countries as well as the region and the world.
Modi also conveyed to the two Japanese ministers that he was looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India for India-Japan annual summit next month.
"The prime minister added that India's relationship with Japan was a key component of our vision for Indo-Pacific for peace, stability and prosperity of the region, as well as a cornerstone of India's Act East Policy," added MEA.
Separately, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his counterpart Motegi and discussed issues of bilateral and regional importance.
Both India and Japan have been pushing for formulating a broad and comprehensive approach for the Indo-Pacific region for regional peace, prosperity and stability.
China has been fast expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region, triggering concern in various countries of the region and beyond.
The Indo-Japan defence and foreign ministerial talks under the new two-plus-two framework are taking place following a decision taken by Modi and Abe during the 13th India-Japan annual summit last year.
The two leaders decided to institute the new mechanism for further deepening bilateral security and defence cooperation and bring greater depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries.
In the meeting with Motegi and Kono, Modi also said that regular high-level exchanges between the two countries are a testimony to the depth and strength of the relationship.
The prime minister said that the two-plus-two dialogue will further deepen bilateral strategic, security and defence cooperation.
(With inputs from PTI)
