Japan-India Relations
Japan-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting
March 3, 2023
On March 3, commencing at 12:35 p.m. (local time; 4:05 p.m. JST) for approximately 60 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting India to attend the Japan-Australia-India-US (Quad) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held a working lunch with H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. An overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Hayashi expressed his respect for Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s leadership in chairing the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the Japan-Australia-India-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. He stated that as the international community faces a series of major crises, Japan is looking ahead to the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May and the G20 New Delhi Summit in September, and expressed that Japan will continue to work closely with India, which holds the G20 Presidency. In response, Foreign Minister Jaishankar welcomed Minister Hayashi’s visit to India and stated that as G20 Presidency, India would like to cooperate with Japan, which holds the G7 Presidency.
- The two ministers exchanged views on priority issues as the G7 and G20 Presidencies, the situation in Sri Lanka, and development finance issues. They affirmed that they would continue to work closely together.
- The Ministers also exchanged views on Japan-India ties. The Ministers welcomed the progress in cooperation in security and defense, including the first Japan-India fighter exercise in January this year as well as in their bilateral economic relations and economic cooperation, following Prime Minister Kishida's visit to India last year and the second Japan-India Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting ("2+2"). They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. Minister Hayashi explained that Japan adopted a new national security strategy at the end of last year, and Foreign Minister Jaishankar showed understanding for Japan's policy. Minister Hayashi also expressed his hope for progress in discussions on establishing a joint crediting system (JCM) for decarbonization.
- Both ministers welcomed the candid discussions and affirmed that they would continue to communicate closely with each other.