Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held the 2+2 dialogue with their Japanese counterparts Minoru Kihara and Yoko Kamikawa and reviewed the bilateral cooperation besides exploring new initiatives to further strengthen the engagements between the two countries.
They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed on an open Indo-Pacific region.
Addressing the third edition of India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Jaishankar said that in the last dacade, the relationship between the two countries has assumed the form of a special strategic and global partnership.
“The logic of this evolution is our expanding interest and growing activities. As we both step forward into a more volatile and unpredictable world, there is a need for reliable partners with whom there are substantial convergences. As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours, comprehend each others’ objectives…,” said the external affairs minister.
He said the strategic partnership between India and Japan will continue to grow as both the countries embrace mutuality and display sensitivity.
“Today, our cooperation is set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo Pacific. For India, this is a natural extrapolation from our Act East Policy…,” said Jaishankar.
Speaking at the meeting, Rajnath Singh also echoed Jaishankar’s sentiments saying that the bilateral relations between the two nations have increased in all areas.
Speaking specifically about defence, he said that the sector has emerged as an important pillar in the relationship between the two countries.
“We have decided to make India a developed and transformed nation by 2047, on the completion of 100 years of India’s independence. Building domestic defence capabilities is a very important part of this vision. In the field of defence technology and industry, partnership with Japan will play an important role in the completion of this vision of India…,” said the defence minister.
The first edition of the India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in India in 2019 while the second one took place in Japan in 2022.
The ‘2+2’ dialogue with Japan was initiated to further deepen bilateral security and defence cooperation and bring greater depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries.
India has the ‘2+2’ ministerial format of dialogue with very few countries including the US, Australia and Russia.
With inputs from agencies
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India-Japan 2+2 dialogue: Both sides review bilateral ties, agree on an open Indo-Pacific region
