India, Japan reiterate cooperation in Indo-Pacific

India and Japan on Monday reiterated that they would continue to work for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here.

Stating that the two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest, the External Affairs Ministry said: "They reaffirmed that based on shared values and interests, the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context and has become a factor of prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."

India, along with Japan, the US and Australia, in 2017 revived a quad that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, a region that stretches from the east coast of Japan to the east coast of Africa.

It was a strategically important move given China's growing footprint in the region and Beijing's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea.

During Monday's talks, Sushma Swaraj and Kono held discussions on follow-up actions taken on decisions taken during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan for the 13th India-Japan Annual Summit in October last year "which opened new vistas of bilateral cooperation in areas such as regional connectivity, economic partnership, new and digital technologies, healthcare, renewable energy, defence cooperation, maritime security etc.," the Ministry statement said.

Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Kono paid a courtesy call on Modi where he briefed the Prime Minister about the follow-up action taken in recent months after the latter's visit to Japan last year.

"The Prime Minister warmly recalled his successful visit to Japan in October 2018, and reiterated his strong commitment to further deepen the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

--IANS

ab/nir