PM Narendra Modi meets Fumio Kishida, announces Japan-India tourism exchange | Key announcements today

Delegation level talks led by PM MOdi and PM Kishida

The plan is expected to highlight India's significance for the Indo-Pacific and provide details of Japan's policy and approach towards the Indo-Pacific. India had earlier said that a "free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific" is important for the economic development of not only the region but also the wider global community.

This comes as world leaders continue to focus on the Indo-Pacific as the region, according to the US, "faces mounting challenges, particularly from the PRC (People's Republic of China)". Moreover, Japan has been pushing for a free and open Indo-Pacific with a view to maintaining and strengthening the rules-based international order in the region.

The two leaders also vowed to expand the India-Japan global strategic partnership, holding that it is important for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific besides benefitting the two countries in diverse areas. It "is based on our mutual democratic values and respect for rule of law on international platforms," PM Modi said.

PM Modi and Kishida also discussed priorities for India's presidency of G20 and Japan's presidency of the G7. "I formally invited PM Modi to G7 Hiroshima Summit and on the spot my invitation was immediately accepted," Japanese PM Fumio Kishida said in Delhi.

"In September this year, I will again get the opportunity to welcome PM Fumio Kishida to India for the G20 Leaders' Summit," said PM Narendra Modi.

PM Kishida’s visit comes at significant time with Japan holding the Presidency of G7 and India of G20

Besides this, Modi said the two sides reviewed progress in bilateral relations especially in areas of defence, digital technology, trade and investment and health among others. He said both sides also discussed the importance of reliable supply chains for semi-conductors and other critical technologies.

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida said the maritime Self-Defense Force is a force for peace that contributes to regional maritime peace and stability. "We will promote joint training with India and US and goodwill training with ASEAN countries and Pacific Island countries," he was quoted by ANI as saying.

There were two documents signed on the sidelines of the meet. One was the renewal of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in Japanese language, essentially focusing on higher level language learning.

"The second agreement was Exchange of notes on JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) loan for 300 billion on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed railway project," the foreign secretary said.

Kishida assured that Japan will collaborate closely with India in contributing to stability in the South Asian region. He said: "Northeast India, which is surrounded by land still, has unexploited economic potential. We will promote Bay of Bengal-North East India Industiral value chain concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh to foster the growth of the entire region.

Kishida welcomed the renewal of India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Japanese language education. He added that the two nations will "continue to work on decarbonisation and energy".

Kishida arrived in India on Monday and was received by Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the airport. He is on a two-day visit to the country.

India-Japan relations were elevated to 'Global Partnership' in 2000, 'Strategic and Global Partnership' in 2006, and 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' in 2014. Regular annual summits have been held between the leaders of the two countries since 2006.

Japan is a very close partner of India with which it has both an annual summit and a '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial dialogues. The bilateral trade between the two sides stood at USD 20.75 billion last year, which was the largest ever.

Last year, PM Modi and Kishida met three times. Kishida visited India for the 14th annual summit in March and Modi visited Tokyo in May for the Quad Summit and in September for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

India and Japan have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) since 2011. The agreement covers not only trade in goods but also services, movement of natural persons, investments, intellectual property rights, custom procedures and other trade related issues.