India and Japan PMs discuss ties, Indo-Pacific plan
India and Japan on Monday discussed steps to strengthen cooperation in security, trade and technology as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific that envisages India as an “indispensable partner” for preventing coercion and upholding a rules-based order.
The Ukraine crisis and coordination between India’s G20 presidency and Japan’s G7 presidency were part of discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Japanese counterpart. Both leaders agreed on the importance of including views of the Global South in the G7 and G20 processes.
The two sides signed an agreement on the fourth tranche of a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) worth 300 billion yen ( ₹18,800 crore) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail. Modi told a joint media interaction that both sides are “progressing fast” on the project.
Strengthening the India-Japan partnership, which is based on respect for rule of law, promotes peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, Modi said, adding that he and Kishida reviewed progress in bilateral ties and discussed collaborating on defence equipment and technology, trade, health, and digital partnership.