India-Japan partnership strengthens Indo-Pacific stability: S Jaishankar
text_fields
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the India-Japan relationship strengthens strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific and also supports global economic growth.
He was speaking at the India-Japan Indo-Pacific Forum hosted by the Delhi Policy Group and the Japan Institute of International Affairs.
He said maintaining a "free and open" Indo-Pacific is a stronger imperative but also a more complex challenge. "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 the economic one at a global level," S Jaishankar said.
He added, "Maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is a stronger imperative but also a more complex challenge."
S Jaishankar pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent phone call with the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, soon after she took office, shows how much importance both countries attach to the relationship.
"Looking ahead, the India-Japan partnership must focus on leveraging our strengths, bolstering our supply chains, and investing in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy, and space," he said.
He said India and Japan, as two major democracies and maritime nations, bear a larger responsibility in relation to 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 contributions," he said.
Jaishankar also pointed to new agreements such as the Next Generation Mobility Partnership, the Economic Security Initiative, the Joint Crediting Mechanism, the Joint Declaration on Clean Hydrogen and Ammonia, and an MoU in mineral resources. He said these represent part of a modern shared roadmap.
"People-to-people exchanges are expected to receive a boost with the Action Plan for Human Resource Cooperation and Exchange. As they unfold, we may expect to create a deeper understanding at the societal level," he said.
"Together, all these initiatives reaffirm the strategic and comprehensive nature of our ties," he added.