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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar called on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday at the conclusion of the 2+2 meeting between the two countries.
Jaishnakar said that he expressed confidence that the vision articulated by PM Kishida and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be realised soon. "Pleased to call on PM Fumio Kishida at the conclusion of our 2+2 meeting. Underlined the importance of closer coordination of policies and interests of India and Japan at this time," Jaishankar tweeted. "Expressed confidence that the vision which he and PM @narendramodi have articulated will be realised early," he added. On Thursday, the Defence and Foreign ministers of India and Japan held the second 2+2 ministerial. They discussed regional and global issues of mutual interests and concerns, particularly those in the Indo-Pacific and Ukraine. Defence Minister Singh and EAM Jaishankar held meetings with their counterpart from Japan, Foreign Affairs Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defence Minister Hamada Yasukazu. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting featured a discussion on the progress in defence cooperation as the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based global order that respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. "The Ministers had a frank and fruitful discussion on the regional and global issues of mutual interests and concerns, particularly those in the Indo-Pacific as well as Ukraine. The Ministers strongly reaffirmed what their Prime Ministers recently committed to in their Joint Statement of March 19 with respect to regional and global security challenges," the joint statement said. The Ministers highlighted their commitment to a common strategic goal of achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific, that is inclusive and resilient, based on the rule of law and free from coercion. They also reiterated their strong support for ASEAN's unity and centrality and their full support for the "ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)" which upholds the principles such as the rule of law, openness, freedom, transparency and inclusiveness. Acknowledging Japan's determination to reinforce its defence capabilities, the Indian side expressed its support to work towards enhanced security and defence cooperation. The Ministers noted with pleasure the progress made since the last meeting in November 2019 in the bilateral security and defence cooperation, which constitutes an important pillar of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. "They welcomed deepened cooperation discussed through the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue of February 2021, the Maritime Affairs Dialogue of September 2021, the Space Dialogue of November 2021, and the Cyber Dialogue of June 2022, respectively," the joint statement read. Recognizing the importance of multilayered dialogues between the two countries, they looked forward to having dialogues at an early date in areas such as Security Council reform with a view to strengthening the functions of the UN as a whole. They also acknowledged the importance of enhancing dialogues in the field of economic security. The Ministers acknowledged the vast potential for the two countries to expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of defence equipment and technology cooperation. (ANI)
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