JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in New Delhi to take part in a two-day state visit. He was received by Union Minister for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar at the Airport.
India is currently presiding over this year’s G20 summit while Japan is the presiding over the G7 summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart are likely to discuss issues surrounding food and health security, energy transition, and economic security in their meeting, as per multiple media reports.
Also Watch:
The Japanese PM is expected to make the announcement of a new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific region on Monday. In the past few years, China's military and trade presence has increased immensely in this region.
Japan and India are both participants of the 'Qaudilateral Secuirty Dialogue' or more commonly known as 'Quad'. Along with Australia and the United States, this security arrangement is seen as a counter to the increasing prowess of China in the region.
One of Kishida's predecessors Shinzo Abe had initiated the "Arc of Democracy" in 2007, a plan to contain the rise of China by cooperation among leading democracies of the world. PM Kishida will deliver the 41st Sapru House lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs in New Delhi after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House, the Deccan Herald reported.
Recommended For You
Both Japan and India face a major challenge from an ascendent and aggressive China. While the communist nation claims huge swathes of India's territory in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh regions, it has also laid claims on Japan's Senkaku Islands in the East China sea. Apart from that, Japan is also wary of China's claims over the whole of South China sea.
Apart from discussions on these issues, both Prime Ministers will also be taking a walk together at the Buddha Jayanti Park in New Delhi and visit the Bal Bodhi tree, according to news agency ANI. The Bal Bodhi tree is a revered tree from Gautam Buddha's time. It is considered the Lord Gautam Buddha had attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
"I will visit India and meet with Prime Minister Modi. This year, Japan will chair the G7 and India will chair the G20. I would like to exchange views on the role that our two countries should play in resolving the mountain of international challenges, and to further strengthen our 'Special Strategic Global Partnership'," Japanese PM Fumio Kishida said in a tweet.
(With agency inputs)