NEW DELHI: The India-Japan partnership enhances the strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific region and contributes to economic growth at the global level, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
Jaishankar said maintaining a "free and open" Indo-Pacific is a stronger imperative but also a more complex challenge.
He was speaking at the India-Japan Indo-Pacific Forum organised by the Delhi Policy Group and the Japan Institute of International Affairs.
"Our partnership that has deepened so much in the last few decades has greater value than ever before. It serves to enhance strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific and contribute to the economic one at a global level," Jaishankar said.
"Maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is a stronger imperative but also a more complex challenge," he noted.
Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent phone conversation with his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, as soon as she assumed office, is testimony to the priority that both sides attach to the relationship.
"Looking ahead, the India-Japan partnership must focus on leveraging our strengths, bolstering our supply chains and investing in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy and space," he said.
Jaishankar said as two major democracies and maritime nations, India and Japan have a larger responsibility towards the Indo-Pacific.
"The Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative, where Japan co-leads the maritime trade, transport and connectivity pillar, has the potential to advance our contributions," he said.
Jaishankar highlighted new initiatives, such as the Next Generation Mobility Partnership, Economic Security Initiative, Joint Crediting Mechanism and Joint Declaration on Clean Hydrogen and Ammonia and an MoU in the field of mineral resources, as examples of an evolving contemporary agenda.
"People-to-people exchanges are expected to receive a boost with the Action Plan for Human Resource Cooperation and Exchange. As they unfold, we may expect to create a deeper understanding at the societal level," he said.
"Together, all these initiatives reaffirm the strategic and comprehensive nature of our ties," he added.