New Delhi : Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday called for deeper India-Japan cooperation amid growing global uncertainty, saying the two countries should leverage their respective strengths to achieve shared prosperity and reinforce their strategic partnership. The Japanese Prime Minister arrived in New Delhi late Wednesday night for a three-day official visit.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after bilateral talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, Takaichi thanked the Government of India for its warm hospitality. She also expressed delight that Prime Minister Modi affectionately referred to her as his “younger sister,” saying the two nations share a common vision and are committed to further strengthening their close partnership.
Prime Minister Takaichi said Japan and India should work together to become stronger and more prosperous, adding that such cooperation has become increasingly important in the current international environment. She noted that the two leaders reviewed a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
Highlighting the first pillar of future cooperation, Takaichi stressed the importance of deepening strategic collaboration. She said both countries share similar views on the evolving international order and referred to Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative, which focuses on resilience and self-reliance to promote a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
She also praised Prime Minister Modi’s vision of the ocean as a driver of regional stability and development, noting that his ‘Great Ocean’ initiative complements Japan’s FOIP strategy by encouraging countries in the Indian Ocean region to strengthen their maritime capabilities and safeguard their sovereignty.
The Japanese Prime Minister announced that Japan and India had agreed to further enhance strategic cooperation, particularly in the maritime domain. She said a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer and an Indian Navy warship are expected to undertake a joint operation during the visit. The two countries also plan to expand naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, strengthen cooperation in maintenance and repair of naval assets, and promote defence equipment collaboration under India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, Takaichi said both countries are committed to building stronger and more prosperous economies through future-oriented investments and innovation-led growth.
Marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, the Japanese Prime Minister said the milestone presents an opportunity to further strengthen people-to-people ties. She expressed confidence that the bilateral relationship is entering a new phase under the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and said she looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan for the next summit.