External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday underscored the growing strategic and economic partnership between India and Japan, calling it a key pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
Addressing the 8th India-Japan Indo-Pacific Forum, Jaishankar said that the deepening India-Japan relationship has “greater value than ever before” and plays a crucial role in maintaining a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
“Our partnership that has deepened so much in the last few decades has greater value than ever before. It serves to enhance strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global economic growth. Maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is a stronger imperative, but also a more complex challenge,” he said.
The Minister noted that the India-Japan partnership has evolved to meet changing global realities and now spans a wide range of areas—from defence and economic security to technology and clean energy. He congratulated the Delhi Policy Group and the Japan Institute of International Affairs for organising the forum, saying that think tanks have played a vital role in shaping the partnership.
Referring to the recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, Jaishankar said it demonstrated the importance both nations attach to the relationship. “The visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan in August significantly laid out the joint vision for the next decade. Its eight priority pillars and the investment target of 10 trillion yen over the next ten years are useful metrics to assess our ambition. The Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation is also noteworthy in raising the level of our aspirations in defence and security,” he added.
Jaishankar highlighted several recent initiatives that define the “contemporary agenda” of India-Japan cooperation, including the Next Generation Mobility Partnership, Economic Security Initiative, Joint Crediting Mechanism, Joint Declaration on Clean Hydrogen and Ammonia, and an MoU in the field of mineral resources.
Looking ahead, the EAM said both nations must focus on leveraging their strengths, bolstering supply chains, and investing in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy and space.
“As two major democracies and maritime nations, India and Japan have a larger responsibility towards the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative, where Japan co-leads the maritime trade, transport and connectivity pillar, has the potential to advance our shared contributions,” Jaishankar said.
He also underlined the importance of people-to-people exchanges, noting that the Action Plan for Human Resource Cooperation and Exchange will help foster deeper societal understanding between the two countries.
Recalling his recent meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi at the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Jaishankar said both sides agreed to hold a detailed review soon to further advance bilateral cooperation.
“The India-Japan partnership is built on trust and shared values. Together, we have the capacity and responsibility to shape the future of the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global stability and prosperity,” Jaishankar concluded.
(With agency inputs)