Japan-India Relations
15th Japan-India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue
July 27, 2023
On July 27, commencing at 6:40 p.m. (local time; 10:10 p.m. JST) for approximately 150 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his visit to India, held a Japan-India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. The overview is as follows.
1. Bilateral Relations
- Minister Hayashi welcomed the active multi-channel dialogue, including between the leaders of Japan and India and the ministers for foreign affairs. He affirmed that the two countries would continue to adjust high-level points of contact in the future.
- Both ministers affirmed that they would continue to advance cooperation in the field of defense and security such as equipment cooperation and defence exchanges.
- The ministers concurred that the Japanese and Indian public and private sectors would work together toward the target of 5 trillion yen in public-private investment and loans to India over the next 5 years. This goal was set by both countries during Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio's visit to India in March of last year.
Furthermore, Minister Hayashi requested cooperation to improve the investment environment and for the early establishment of a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). - The two ministers affirmed that they would continue to make steady progress on the high-speed rail project, a flagship project of Japan and India. Minister Hayashi also stated that he would advance cooperation for the development of northeastern India, which Prime Minister Modi places importance on, and to advance projects that contribute to regional connectivity. Minister Jaishankar stated that he would like to continue to work closely with Japan.
- They concurred on expanding human exchanges between the two countries, such as tourism and international students, assuming that people-to-people exchanges will strengthen medium- to long-term Japan-India relations.
2. Cooperation in the International Forum and the Regional Situation
- The two ministers affirmed that they would continue to work together as the G7 and G20 Presidencies for the success of the G20 New Delhi Summit in September this year, following the results of the Hiroshima Summit. They also affirmed cooperation in the international arena, such as in the Quad countries and Security Council reform.
- As the international community reaches a historic turning point, both ministers affirmed the importance of Japan and India, who share basic values and strategic interests, cooperating to achieve a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).” They also held a candid exchange of views on regional situations, including the situation in Ukraine and East Asia.