New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday said that the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership carries “larger implications, importance and impact”, stressing its growing significance in shaping regional and global outcomes and extending well beyond bilateral engagement.
Speaking at the start of his meeting with Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu during the latter’s two-day visit to India, Jaishankar said the relationship between the two countries has evolved into a broader strategic framework.
He noted that the partnership reflects the expanding scope of ties between India and Japan, which now go far beyond traditional diplomacy.
“Between India and Japan, we have a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, and that signals that our ties have a larger implication, larger importance and larger impact. One example of that will be tomorrow when we meet in the Quad format to discuss how to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar said.
He added that the upcoming meeting of the Quad—comprising India, the United States, Australia and Japan—will be held on May 26 under India’s chairmanship. The meeting will be led by the External Affairs Minister himself.
Jaishankar further highlighted that both India and Japan are major energy-importing and trading economies, sharing strong common interests in maritime security and regional stability. He specifically referred to ongoing developments in West Asia and challenges in the Strait of Hormuz.
“In the current situation, what is happening in West Asia or the Middle East is important because we are both energy-importing nations, we are big trading nations, and we have maritime interests,” he said.
He also underlined the importance of economic security, stating that it has become a key concern for all major economies in today’s geopolitical environment.
Jaishankar recalled recent high-level exchanges between the two sides, noting continued diplomatic engagement and frequent visits. He said such interactions reflect the depth and continuity of the bilateral relationship.
India and Japan elevated their ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014, during the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, marking what both sides described as the beginning of a new era in relations.
The meeting is expected to further strengthen India–Japan cooperation ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, where discussions will focus on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific and broader regional security issues.