New Delhi:External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Indian President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday kicked off the 2+2 India-Japan ministerial meeting in New Delhi, attended by his Japanese counterparts Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara respectively, highlighting the deepening strategic relationship between the two countries. Rajnath Singh said Japan will play an important role in India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
“Over the last decade, our relationship has taken the form of a special, strategic and global partnership. The logic of this evolution is the expansion of our interest and growth of our activities as we both move towards 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 thought about facilitating each other’s efforts, understanding each other’s objectives, strengthening each other’s positions and working with other nations with whom we share well-being,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks.
“Our strategic partnership will continue to grow as we embrace neutrality and show sensitivity. Our cooperation today is framed in the broader context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. For India, it is a natural extrapolation of our ‘Act East’ policy. The proportion of our activities in India’s east has been strategic,” he continued.
Defence Minister Singh also highlighted that bilateral relations between India and Japan have increased across the board. “Defence has emerged as an important pillar of these relations. We have resolved to make India a developed and transformed nation by 2047, when India completes 100 years of independence. Development of indigenous defence capabilities is a very important part of this vision. In the field of defence technology and industry, the partnership with Japan will play an important role in realising this vision for India,” he said during the meeting.
Japanese ministers call on PM Modi ahead of 2+2 talks
A day before the talks, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defence Minister Minoru Kihara called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who underlined the importance of holding the 2+2 meeting in the context of an increasingly complex regional and global order and deepening ties between India and Japan, according to an official statement.
Prime Minister Modi shared his thoughts and ideas on closer cooperation between trusted friends like India and Japan, especially in areas like critical minerals, semiconductors and defence manufacturing. They took stock of the progress made in various areas of bilateral cooperation, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, and also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the crucial role that the India-Japan partnership plays in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
What is expected to be achieved through the 2+2 talks between India and Japan?
According to the Ministry of Defense, the ministers will review bilateral cooperation and explore new initiatives to further strengthen ties between the two countries. The ministers will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The talks are expected to “deepen defense cooperation and give further depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries.”
According to the Ministry, India and Japan share a “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” based on shared values of democracy, freedom and rule of law. The “2+2” dialogue with Japan was initiated to further deepen bilateral security and defence cooperation and give further depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries. India has the ministerial format of “2+2” dialogue with other countries including the US, Australia and Russia.
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