Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on a two-day visit to India. The Japanese Prime Minister was received by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar at the Palam airport in Delhi. Notably, this is Kishidas second visit to India as Prime Minister. He arrived early morning where he paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and also visited Rajghat. Thereafter Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi and held bilateral talks. The theme for Tourism Exchange Year 2023 between India and Japan is Connecting the Himalayas with Mount Fuji.The visit is to revamp the bilateral ties in a range of areas between Indias presidency of G20 and Japans presidency of G7 to address the various global problems. According to the officials, the talks will focus on the bilateral front would be to enhance cooperation in areas of defense and security, trade and investment, and high technologies.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, “PM @narendramodi welcomed PM @kishida230 of Japan ahead of bilateral delegation-level talks. An opportunity for leaders to review progress in our bilateral ties and further expand the India-Japan Partnership for a peaceful, stable and prosperous post-COVID world.” Before Kishidas visit to India, he said his visit would aim to further deepen the “special strategic and global partnership” between the two countries. He further added that “This year, Japan holds the presidency of the G7, while India chairs the G20. I intend to engage in a thoroughgoing exchange of views with Prime Minister Modi on the question of what role Japan and India should play within the international community.” “Alongside that, with regard to bilateral Japan-India relations, I want to confirm the further deepening of the special strategic and global partnership between India and Japan.” “I will also deliver an address in India on a new plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. I will clearly lay out my thinking regarding the role that a Free and Open Indo-Pacific will play at this historic turning point,” he added.Moreover, during the Japanese PMs last visit to India in March 2022, he announced that they are aiming to invest Rs 3,20,000 crore in the next years in India. During his visit, he will also address a new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific. Wide-ranging discussions between PM Modi and Japanese PM Kishida are anticipated to include the changing Indo-Pacific situation against the backdrop of Chinas increasing military aggression. PM Modi thanks the Japanese PM for G7 Summit invitePrime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for inviting him to attend the G7 Summit which is going to happen in May this year in Hiroshima. The invitation was given to PM Modi during the bilateral talks between them. In a joint press statement after the meeting, PM Modi said, “Today Japanese PM Fumio Kishida invited me to the G7 Leaders Summit which will be held in Hiroshima in May. I thank him for this.”“I welcome Japanese PM Fumio Kishida to India. In the last year, PM Fumio Kishida and I have met several times, and every time Ive felt his positivity and commitment to the India-Japan bilateral relationship. His todays visit will be beneficial to maintain this momentum,” PM Modi said. Prime Minister Modi said he is happy to be able to welcome his Japanese counterpart again in September this year for the G20 Summit.Since both countries chair the global summits simultaneously, PM Modi said, “Todays meeting is a great opportunity to work together keeping the self-goals of both nations in mind.” He also added, “I have spoken to him regarding Indias G20 priorities in detail. Our main priority is to give voice to the needs of the global south.” “The India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership are based on the shared democratic values of both the nations and the Rule of Law, he continued saying. PM Modi also said that India believes in the culture of Vasudev Kutumbhakam and believes in taking everyone together.
