New Delhi, Jan 16 (NationPress) Celebrating the strong relationship between India and Japan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar declared on Friday that New Delhi places the utmost importance on collaborating with Tokyo in significant international forums including the Quad, the United Nations, and the G20.

During his introductory remarks at the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue held in New Delhi with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, EAM Jaishankar emphasized that the bond between the two countries has evolved from a primarily economic partnership to one that is “broad, comprehensive, and strategic.”

“As I welcome you today, I want to emphasize that India holds its friendship with Japan in very high regard. Over the past twenty years, we have successfully transformed our relationship from a primarily economic one into a broad, comprehensive, and strategic alliance. We give the highest priority to our collaboration with Japan in international forums, particularly the Quad, the United Nations, our G4 membership, and the G20,” said EAM Jaishankar.

He added, “It is important to remember that it was a Japanese Prime Minister who, during his address to the Indian Parliament, set the stage for the development of the Indo-Pacific as a political, economic, and strategic construct. A considerable amount of time has passed, and now our initiative, referred to as Mahasagar which symbolizes our oceans, aligns closely with your vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”

EAM Jaishankar stressed the significance of India and Japan working in tandem towards shared strategic objectives amid the current global uncertainties. He warmly welcomed Toshimitsu Motegi and reflected on their previous meeting.

“We are both leading democracies and major global economies, and we have not only an opportunity but also a duty to shape the global order. In today's unpredictable global climate, it is even more crucial that we collaborate towards shared strategic aims,” he stated.

He noted that India and Japan will mark their 75th diplomatic anniversary in 2027 and emphasized that their “special, strategic, and global partnership is on a continuous upward trajectory.”

“During our bilateral discussions today, I hope to address key priorities in our relationship, some of which were already touched upon during your meeting with the Prime Minister. Moreover, since you are visiting from the Philippines, it illustrates our Indo-Pacific convergence. Your visits to Qatar, Israel, and Palestine further highlight our mutual interests in that region, underscoring our energy cooperation. Therefore, there is much to discuss,” he concluded.