India and Japan fortify strategic partnership during 3rd 2+2 ministerial meeting

New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defence Minister Minoru Kihara met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for the 3rd round of the India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial meeting. This high-level meeting underscored the deepening ties between the two nations amidst a complex global and regional environment, according to a press release by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Modi warmly welcomed the Japanese ministers and emphasised the significance of the 2+2 dialogue in strengthening the strategic partnership between India and Japan. He discussed potential areas for closer cooperation, including critical minerals, semiconductors, and defence manufacturing.

The leaders reviewed progress on various bilateral projects, notably the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the crucial role of the India-Japan partnership in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. He stressed the need to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries, the Japanese Foreign Ministry reported in the release.

PM Modi expressed optimism about a productive visit to Japan for the next summit between the two Prime Ministers.

Foreign Minister Kamikawa emphasized the importance of the 10-year-old Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership. She stressed that strengthening security cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership and expressed a desire to advance economic development and people-to-people exchanges.

Defence Minister Kihara acknowledged the steady progress in bilateral security cooperation and requested continued collaboration from Prime Minister Modi.

Both sides agreed on the importance of deepening cooperation in technical fields, including the defence industry and semiconductors. The discussions reinforced the commitment to a robust and mutually beneficial partnership, setting the stage for future collaboration on regional and global challenges, as per the report by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The meeting showcased the enduring and expanding strategic alignment between India and Japan, highlighting their joint efforts to enhance stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.