India and Japan committed to peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific: PM Modi

Tokyo, Aug 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that both India and Japan remain committed to a peaceful, prosperous and stable Indo-Pacific, where the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations are respected.

In an interview with Japan's leading daily, The Yomiuri Shimbun, PM Modi said, “There is a strong convergence between Japan’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and India’s own approach encapsulated in our Indo-Pacific vision, in the Vision MAHASAGAR and the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative.

“Both our countries have strong and extensive linkages with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and we both engage with some of them in plurilateral formats to give expression to our shared objectives,” he added.

When asked about the significance of his visit in the context of Quad, PM Modi said that in the last 20 years since its inception in 2004, the grouping has emerged as a force of global good, delivering positive outcomes for the people of the Indo-Pacific region.

“Quad’s practical agenda ranges from maritime safety and security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, cyber security, critical and emerging technologies and connectivity to education, health and even space cooperation. The role of the Quad in the delivery of public goods can also be very significant,” he emphasised.

On areas of cooperation with Japan ahead of the group’s autumn summit, the Prime Minister told The Yomiuri Shimbun, “We greatly value Japan’s role in strengthening the Quad’s agenda and believe that together we can continue to deliver practical solutions and tangible outcomes that benefit not only our region but the wider world."

PM Modi arrived in Japan early Friday morning on the first leg of his two-nation visit.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, “Landed in Tokyo. As India and Japan continue to strengthen their developmental cooperation, I look forward to engaging with PM Ishiba and others during this visit, thus providing an opportunity to deepen existing partnerships and explore new avenues of collaboration.”

New Delhi continues to place high importance on the Quad grouping -- comprising India, Japan, the United States, and Australia -- which is widely viewed as a strategic counterbalance to China in the Indo-Pacific.

--IANS

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