Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, arrived in India on Monday to meet with Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, during a key two-day trip.
The visit, which is a component of the yearly summit between the two nations, is seen as a great chance to assess their bilateral relations. Given that Japan and India presently preside over important international organisations like the G20 and G7, this visit has added significance.
In addition to commerce and investment, research and technology, education, healthcare, and emerging technologies, the relationship between India and Japan also touches on several other important fields.
Prime Minister Kishida and his Indian colleague are scheduled to meet soon. It is anticipated that they will discuss topics of global importance, such as energy transitions, food and health security, and economic stability.
The spokesperson for India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), Arindam Bagchi, stressed the significance of Japan as a crucial partner during a press conference on Thursday.
India is anxiously anticipating a thorough discussion between Prime Minister Kishida and his Indian counterpart Modi at their next meeting, Bagchi continued.
India and Japan have a close relationship known as a “Special Strategic and Global Partnership,” which has become stronger since 2006 as a result of recurring annual summits.
Both nations are active participants in the Quadrilateral Strategic Dialogue (QUAD), a forum for strategic cooperation between the US, Australia, and New Zealand that aims to forge partnerships in the Indo-Pacific to promote freedom and openness.
With the help of numerous joint military exercises, India and Japan’s defence cooperation has made significant strides. They include the first-ever “Dharma Guardian” army exercise held in Japan in January 2023 and the “Veer Guardian” fighter aircraft training.
Also, both countries participated in the September Joint Naval Exercise (JIMEX), demonstrating the development of their bilateral relations through coordinated maritime training.
Furthermore, last year saw the highest-ever level of bilateral trade between India and Japan, which totaled USD 20.75 billion. In addition, several Japanese businesses are looking at business prospects in India across many industries.
As part of their Industrial Competitiveness Partnership (IJICP), India and Japan are also working together to develop industrial cooperation.