Enhancing Strategic Ties, $42 Bn Investment, Ukraine, To Be On Agenda During Modi-Kishida Meet
New Delhi, March 19: Enhancing the bilateral strategic ties, a likely announcement of $42 billion over five years to boost infrastructure development in India, besides urging New Delhi to adopt a tougher stand on the Ukraine war, are set to be on the agenda during the summit talks between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Prime Minister Narendra Modi here today.
Prime Minister Kishida, who is also expected to push for ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region in view of China’s hegemonistic moves in the region, arrives in the late afternoon today for the summit meeting with PM Modi at Hyderabad House at 5 pm. This is the first prime ministerial visit by Japan to India in four and a half years. Kishida has met PM Modi earlier as the foreign minister of Japan. The Japanese PM is set to announce a plan to invest 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India over five years for infrastructure development during the summit, according to Nikkei.
Ahead of his departure at Haneda Airport, PM Kishida told reporters that he aims to confirm the commitment of the Quad countries at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region. “Any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific is unacceptable, so I’ll confirm the commitment of the international community,” he said in remarks seen as an implicit criticism of China’s moves in the region.
On Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kishida hopes to persuade Modi to take a tougher stance on Moscow. The summit meeting comes as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic ties. The two sides will also be looking to enhance the Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit. In an oped published today in a leading Indian daily, Prime Minister Kishida said he is looking forward to his New Delhi visit.
“India is certainly the best partner to have when seeking to realize a “new form of capitalism,” as showcased in India’s contribution in response to the global health crisis as the major manufacturing base, leadership in decarbonization efforts, including through the International Solar Alliance, engagement in advanced digital society initiatives such as “Aadhaar,” and promotion of economic security initiatives, including measures for supply chain resilience,” he writes. PM Kishida, who has termed the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “totally unacceptable”, is expected to push India to take a tougher stance on Russia.
“During this visit I am looking forward to engaging with Prime Minister Modi in a frank exchange of opinions on how to crystallize the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” based on the rule of law,” he said in the article. The Summit will provide an opportunity for both leaders to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest so as to advance their Partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, an official statement said earlier. The two sides had held their last summit meeting on September 23 in Washington, on the sidelines of the Quad summit. PM Modi and then Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga had held the summit meeting, in what was their first in-person meeting. PM Kishida leaves on Sunday morning, for the Cambodia leg of his trip.
UNI
