New Delhi: India and Japan held the third edition of “2+2” ministerial meeting against the backdrop of China’s growing military muscle-flexing in the region in New Delhi on Tuesday.
At the fresh round of dialogue, external affairs minister S Jaishankar pointed out that the partnership between India and Japan is set against a larger context of a “free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific”. He noted that the two sides have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours, comprehend each other’s aims and work with other nations of shared comfort.
In his opening remarks, Jaishankar said, “For India, this is a natural extrapolation from our Act East policy. Indeed, the proportion of our activities and interests East of India has been steadily growing.”
Jaishankar said in the last decade, India-Japan relationship assumed the form of a “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”. “Our Strategic Partnership will continue to grow as we embrace mutuality and display sensitivity,” he added.
“The logic of this evolution is our expanding interests 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,” he said.
Jaishankar said that the 2+2 must essentially focus on the steps ahead. “It is two years since we last met in Tokyo. There have been many developments of consequence in the world. Our own relationship also has to factor in changes in our own capabilities and calculations,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met his Japanese counterpart Kamikawa Yoko and highlighted the progress made by India-Japan bilateral relationship.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Good to meet with FM @Kamikawa_Yoko of Japan. Continued our conversations from Tokyo last month. Noted the progress being charted by our bilateral ties. Will build on these exchanges further during the India-Japan 2+2 meeting later today.”
