External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that India sees Japan as a natural partner in its journey of development and transformation. Delivering opening remarks at the 16th India-Japan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo on Thursday, the Minister said 2023 was a landmark year in India India-Japan bilateral relationship. He said government-to-government, business-to-business and people-to-people exchanges have thrived across various sectors. He appreciated Japan’s cooperation in the successful G20 Summit hosted by India last year.
Later, addressing the Joint Press statement along with his Japanese counterpart, Kamikawa Yoko, Dr Jaishankar said they had wide-ranging and forward-leaning discussions covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations. He noted that India and Japan have made good progress in defence and security relations. Dr Jaishankar welcomed Japan’s development role in India’s Northeast which will be crucial in transforming the connectivity and industrial landscape of the region and benefit other countries in the neighbourhood through a network of forward and backward linkages. India and Japan also concurred on the need to work together to enhance each other’s economic stability and supply chain resilience by taking a strategic view of trade and technology. India and Japan discussed possibilities in the semiconductor ecosystem, green technologies and digital payments.
The External Affairs Minister said he spoke to his counterpart about the need for a more facilitative visa regime for Indian tourists and other citizens to travel to Japan. They also discussed the shared interests both nations have in providing greater avenues of mobility for Indian talent and skills to Japan.
Dr Jaishankar said today’s meeting allowed both sides to take stock of various ongoing lines of effort since the Dialogue was last held in Delhi last year. He added that both sides agreed on the need for new steps to make the bilateral relationship prepared for and responsive to emerging geopolitical, geoeconomic and geotechnological trends. The Minister said the talks provided strategic guidance to both teams to realise the vision of India Japan Special Strategic Global Partnership.
