Ties with Japan key to stability in Indo-Pacific: PM Modi on meeting Japan's ministers
New Delhi, Nov 30: India's relationship with Japan is a key component of its vision for peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.
He made the remarks at a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The two Japanese ministers are here to attend the first edition of Indo-Japan defence 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, the MEA said.
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," the MEA said.
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.
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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.