India, Japan commited to Indo-Pacific stability, Global South development: EAM Jaishankar

TOKYO: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday reiterated the shared values and interests that bind India and Japan as major Indo-Pacific nations, emphasising their abiding stake in the region's peace, security, and prosperity.

He said that the two countries expressed readiness to play a responsible role aligned with the needs of the times, addressing issues ranging from the development aspirations of the Global South to combating transnational crimes.

"India and Japan, as two major Indo-Pacific nations sharing values, history and interests, have an abiding stake in the peace, security and prosperity of our region and are ready to play a responsible role commensurate to the needs of our times," said Jaishankar, delivering a joint press statement with his Japanese counterpart Yoko Kamikawa following the 16th India-Japan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue. The EAM also underlined the Indian government's commitment to continuous improvement in the country's infrastructure environment.

"Whether it is the development aspirations of the Global South, or the reform of institutions and mechanisms of global government, or fighting transnational crimes, or defending against disruptions to supply chains, cooperation between India and Japan has a world of possibilities," he added. He emphasised the significance of timely execution for flagship projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Railway, India's first Shinkansen project.

"In terms of overall investment. Government of India remains committed to the continuous improvement in our infrastructure environment, and I underlined the importance we attach to the timely execution of flagship projects like the Mumbai Ahmedabad high-speed railway, which is India's first Shinkansen project," he also said. Japan's development role in India's northeast was welcomed by Jaishankar, recognising its crucial role in "transforming the connectivity and industrial landscape of that region, which will benefit not only our two countries but also countries in the neighbourhood".

"Through a network of forward and backward linkages, we further agreed to explore coordinated development partnership initiatives by our agencies in third countries," said Jaishankar. The need for collaborative efforts to enhance economic security and supply chain resilience was underscored by the EAM, with a strategic view on trade and technology. Jaishankar said that discussions included possibilities in the semiconductor ecosystem, green technologies, and digital payments, leveraging the complementary strengths of both nations.

People-to-people engagement through education, tourism, and culture also took centre stage in the discussions. "We extended the India-Japan Year of Tourism exchanges to another year in 2024 with the theme of connecting the Himalayas with Mount Fuji and agreed to hold an India month and a Japan month in each other's countries later in the year," the EAM noted. Jaishankar addressed the need for a more facilitative visa regime for Indian tourists and citizens travelling to Japan.

"We also discussed the shared interest we had in providing greater revenues of mobility for Indian talent and for Indian skills to Japan. Expanding the scope of the existing arrangements and helping promote Japanese language teaching and testing throughout the country would be a natural first step," he said. Awaiting further discussions, Jaishankar expressed gratitude to his Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, for her courtesy, hospitality, and leadership during the productive round of the dialogue. "I look forward to receiving her in India for the next two plus two ministerial dialogues," concluded Jaishankar. Notably, Jaishankar is on a visit to Japan from March 6-8. Before this, he visited South Korea, where he met the top leaders during his stay.