Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Monday began delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi. Fumio Kishida arrived in India today for his two-day visit. He is scheduled to unveil his plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific during his visit to India.
Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Fumio Kishida are likely to discuss the evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military assertiveness during their wide-ranging talks.
Both the heads of the nation will also talk about expanding bilateral ties in a range of areas including defence and security, trade and investments, and high technology along with priorities for India's G20 presidency and Japan's presidency of the G7.
Before the talks, Kishida paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi and signed the visitor's book at Rajghat.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was received by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar.
Kishida will unveil his plan for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” with a focus on India's increasingly significant role in the region during his visit to the national capital.
"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", Kishida tweeted in Japanese ahead of his visit to India.
"In addition, during my stay in India, I will announce a new plan on #Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). We will present concrete ideas about the future of FOIP at this historical turning point," he added.
The Japanese Prime Minister will unveil his "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace" during a lecture being organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs at the Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, reported news agency PTI.
About Free And Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace
The Free and Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace is expected to provide details of Japan's policy and approach towards the Indo-Pacific and India's significance for the Indo-Pacific. In June last year, while delivering the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, PM Kishida had said he would lay out the plan for Indo-Pacific next spring.
"I will lay out a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace' by next spring, which will strengthen Japan's efforts to further promote the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, with an emphasis on providing patrol vessels and enhancing maritime law enforcement capabilities, as well as cyber security, digital and green initiatives, and economic security," he had said.
Japan has been pushing for a free and open Indo-Pacific with a view to maintaining and strengthening the rules-based international order in the region.
It has also been concerned over China's aggressive military posturing in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait.