In a strong message to China, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described India as indispensable partner and announced over USD 75 billion to develop infrastructure and security assistance for the Indo-Pacific.
He made the announcement during his visit to India. Kishida had a one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on March 20. The Japanese Prime Minister made the announcement during his speech at an event organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs think tank.
While describing India as an “indispensable partner”, Kishida said New elhi’s role is very important for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In an apparent reference to China’s aggression, he called for preventing coercion and upholding a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
PM Modi emphasised that the India-Japan global partnership is based on shared democratic values and also advocated for the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific.
“The India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership is based on our shared democratic values, and respect for the rule of law in the international arena,” PM Narendra Modi said in his media statement.
“The India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership is based on our shared democratic values, and respect for the rule of law in the international arena. Strengthening this partnership is not only important for both our countries, it also promotes peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. In our conversation today, we have reviewed the progress made in our bilateral relations,” PM Modi further stated.
Japan’s PM statement on the Indo-Pacific is a huge boost as the United States of America has also repeatedly maintained that across much of the Indo-Pacific region, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using military and economic coercion to bully its neighbours, advance unlawful maritime claims, threaten maritime shipping lanes, and destabilise territory along the periphery of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
It may be noted that India and China have been entangled in a bitter border dispute in the eastern Ladakh region since May 2020.
