New Delhi. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived here on Monday morning to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in many areas, including defense and security, trade and investment, and high technology.He was warmly welcomed at IGI Airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kishida will also discuss the priorities of India’s G20 presidency and Japan’s G7 presidency during the day.
Given India’s increasingly important role, the Japanese Prime Minister can also speak about his plans for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” in the region during this period. Changes in the Indo-Pacific region against the backdrop of China’s growing military assertiveness are also likely to be reflected in extensive talks between Modi and Kishida., The visit of the Japanese prime minister is expected to last about 27 hours. He will present his views on a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace” in a speech at a major think tank this afternoon. The plan is expected to emphasize India’s importance in the Indo-Pacific.
At the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore last June, Kishida said plans for the Indo-Pacific region would be forthcoming in the near future. He said, “Soon we will prepare a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific plan for peace’.” The plan is expected to provide detailed information on Japan’s policy and approach to the Indo-Pacific. In the last few years, almost every major power has developed a strategy for the Indo-Pacific.
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